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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 lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. chest — of your body
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. chest — of your body
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. content — happy
  8. bulb — for light
  9. can — a tin
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. can — a tin
  12. land — a country
  13. bulb — for light
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. content — the amount
  18. rush — hurry
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. foot — a measure
  21. land — ground
  22. can — to be able to
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. land — to come down

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