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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. content — the amount
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. cell — in biology
  6. stock — shares
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. chip — to eat
  9. cell — a phone
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. content — happy
  14. chip — for betting
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. stock — goods
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. plane — a tool

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