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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. mark — a grade
  4. mine — for digging
  5. march — the month
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. kick — in football
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. mark — a trace
  10. land — to come down
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. land — a country
  14. content — happy
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. land — ground
  18. march — music
  19. march — the month
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. coach — a trainer

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