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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.

Make a worksheet

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

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

Word bank: cell · firm · hide · scale · drill · content

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. firm — steady
  5. content — happy
  6. cell — in biology
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. scale — size or range
  9. firm — a company
  10. firm — decided
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. cell — a phone
  14. scale — in music
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. drill — the tool
  17. content — the amount
  18. drill — a practice

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