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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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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: bass · charge · spring · tear · content · mug · last · mouse

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. bass — low music
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. spring — the season
  6. spring — of water
  7. tear — from crying
  8. charge — a price
  9. last — finally
  10. mug — to rob
  11. last — to go on
  12. mug — a cup
  13. spring — a coil
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. charge — electricity
  17. content — the amount
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. charge — in control
  20. content — happy
  21. last — final
  22. tear — from crying
  23. tear — to rip
  24. mug — a face

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