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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. content — the amount
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. charge — electricity
  12. charge — in control
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. wound — an injury
  15. rule — a law
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. charge — a price
  19. wound — an injury
  20. drill — a practice
  21. rule — government
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. drill — army training
  24. content — happy

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