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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. tear — from crying
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. content — the amount
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. pop — soda
  8. tear — to rip
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. pop — music
  11. tear — from crying
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. pop — to visit
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. lie — to recline
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. content — happy
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. ruler — for measuring

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