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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 116 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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. content — the amount
  3. charge — a price
  4. rush — hurry
  5. stand — to bear
  6. pop — to visit
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. pop — soda
  9. charge — electricity
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. wind — moving air
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. content — happy
  16. pop — music
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. charge — in control
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. wind — moving air
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. mouse — for a computer

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