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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. face — part of the head
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. mark — a grade
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. face — to point toward
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. face — to confront
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. can — a tin
  14. mark — a trace
  15. can — a tin
  16. content — happy
  17. can — to be able to
  18. prune — to trim
  19. content — the amount
  20. chair — a leader
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. prune — to trim

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com