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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 120 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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — for money
  5. content — happy
  6. rest — a break
  7. can — a tin
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bank — of a river
  10. can — a tin
  11. spring — of water
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. rest — what's left
  16. can — to be able to
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. stem — to come from
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. spring — the season
  22. content — the amount
  23. spring — a coil
  24. ruler — for measuring

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