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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: key · mug · field · kick · mouse · stick · jam · content

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. kick — in football
  8. field — for sport
  9. mug — to rob
  10. field — farmland
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. mug — a face
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. field — a subject
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. key — for a lock
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. key — in music
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. key — the most important part
  23. content — happy
  24. content — the amount

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