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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.

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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: content · suit · tube · last · snap · object · lie · bay

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. suit — to fit
  6. object — an aim
  7. object — a thing
  8. object — to protest
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. tube — a container
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. last — finally
  14. last — to go on
  15. content — happy
  16. snap — to click
  17. suit — clothes
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. last — final
  20. content — the amount
  21. suit — in cards
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. lie — to recline
  24. tube — the underground

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