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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. content — the amount
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. foot — a measure
  8. pop — to visit
  9. drill — a practice
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. drill — the tool
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. pop — soda
  14. saw — the tool
  15. pop — music
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. saw — the tool
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. root — of a plant
  20. content — happy
  21. root — the cause
  22. root — of a word
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. drill — army training

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