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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. face — to confront
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. bulb — for light
  6. tear — from crying
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. face — part of the head
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bulb — for light
  14. content — the amount
  15. face — to point toward
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. fork — in a road
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. tear — from crying
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. tear — to rip
  22. content — happy
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — for a hammer

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