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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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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: lie · pit · pop · mate · kid · content · deal · trunk

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. lie — to recline
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. mate — a partner
  7. pop — music
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. kid — child
  10. content — happy
  11. pit — in a race
  12. mate — a friend
  13. pop — soda
  14. mate — to breed
  15. pop — to visit
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. content — the amount
  18. kid — to tease
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. pit — a hole
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. lie — an untruth

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