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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. prune — to trim
  3. content — the amount
  4. chip — to eat
  5. rock — a stone
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. craft — boats
  8. rock — music
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. craft — a skill
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — to recline
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. prune — to trim
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. chip — for betting
  21. content — happy
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. wave — with your hand

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