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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 120 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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. face — to confront
  3. content — happy
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. net — in sport
  7. net — for catching
  8. swing — in golf
  9. swing — music
  10. swing — to play on
  11. mug — a cup
  12. mug — to rob
  13. net — after costs
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. mug — a face
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. face — part of the head
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. content — the amount
  20. tube — a container
  21. face — to point toward
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. tube — the underground
  24. 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