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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. staff — employees
  3. content — happy
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. craft — boats
  8. ground — the earth
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. staff — a stick
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. content — the amount
  17. cue — a signal
  18. ground — crushed
  19. cue — a hint
  20. staff — employees
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. cue — for pool
  24. craft — a skill

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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