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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. content — happy
  5. tear — to rip
  6. bank — for money
  7. tear — from crying
  8. lean — thin
  9. lean — to bend
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. craft — a skill
  12. bank — of a river
  13. tear — from crying
  14. content — the amount
  15. craft — boats
  16. bank — for money
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. safe — out of danger

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