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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.

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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.

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: suit · ground · straw · tear · content · bass · mouse · mark

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. suit — clothes
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. mark — a trace
  8. bass — low music
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. ground — crushed
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. suit — in cards
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mark — a grade
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. content — the amount
  19. ground — a position
  20. bass — the fish
  21. ground — the earth
  22. tear — to rip
  23. tear — from crying
  24. content — happy

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