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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. content — happy
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. land — to come down
  6. press — to push
  7. court — of law
  8. content — the amount
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. land — a country
  11. land — ground
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. press — newspapers
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. press — a publisher
  19. court — of a king
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. stand — to bear
  23. court — for sport
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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