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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
468
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: saw · rule · wake · swing · mouse · suit · content · lie

  1. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. suit — in cards
  3. saw — the tool
  4. swing — in golf
  5. suit — to fit
  6. swing — music
  7. lie — to recline
  8. wake — a trail
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. rule — a law
  13. content — the amount
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. rule — government
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. suit — clothes
  23. swing — to play on
  24. content — videos and posts

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