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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. content — the amount
  3. net — in sport
  4. shower — to wash
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. content — happy
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. suit — to fit
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. object — to protest
  14. shower — rain
  15. pass — a permit
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. net — after costs
  19. date — the fruit
  20. suit — in cards
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. object — a thing
  23. net — for catching
  24. object — an aim

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