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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. roll — a list
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. content — happy
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. content — the amount
  7. mark — a trace
  8. vault — a safe
  9. face — to confront
  10. mark — a grade
  11. club — a group
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. mine — for digging
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. roll — a cake
  17. face — to point toward
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. club — for golf
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. face — part of the head
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. club — for dancing
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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