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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 124 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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. band — a ring
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. content — happy
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. band — a music group
  14. wake — a trail
  15. fall — to drop
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. content — the amount
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. fall — to drop
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. safe — a strongbox

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