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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 124 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: snap · content · roll · bore · mug · wound · court · key

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. content — the amount
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. key — in music
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. roll — a list
  7. wound — an injury
  8. mug — to rob
  9. court — for sport
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. content — happy
  12. snap — to click
  13. mug — a cup
  14. mug — a face
  15. court — of a king
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. key — the most important part
  19. bore — to tire
  20. court — of law
  21. key — for a lock
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. bore — to drill
  24. wound — an injury

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