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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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. content — happy
  4. fine — high quality
  5. fine — all right
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. rash — hasty
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. branch — a division
  16. rash — a series
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. tube — a container
  23. content — the amount
  24. tube — the underground

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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