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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
468
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: key · tube · mug · content · wave · lie · nail · pitch

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. tube — the underground
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. key — the most important part
  5. pitch — completely
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. mug — a face
  8. tube — a container
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. content — the amount
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. mug — a cup
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. lie — to recline
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. key — in music
  23. content — happy
  24. key — for a lock

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