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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. season — of the year
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. season — in sport
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. lie — to recline
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. rush — hurry
  14. content — the amount
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. 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