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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 116 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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. content — the amount
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. plane — a tool
  6. bore — to tire
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. band — a music group
  11. face — to confront
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. face — to point toward
  15. face — part of the head
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. content — happy
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. bore — to drill
  24. band — a ring

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