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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. mark — a grade
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. content — happy
  7. bank — for money
  8. bank — for money
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. root — of a word
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. bank — of a river
  14. band — a music group
  15. root — the cause
  16. mark — a trace
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. band — a ring
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. root — of a plant
  23. content — the amount
  24. nail — for a hammer

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