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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. game — a match
  3. firm — steady
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. content — happy
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. firm — decided
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. game — wild animals
  15. firm — a company
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. content — the amount
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. pass — a permit
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. deal — to handle
  24. fan — a supporter

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