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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. bulb — for light
  4. firm — decided
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. bulb — for light
  9. net — after costs
  10. content — happy
  11. craft — boats
  12. craft — a skill
  13. firm — a company
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. swing — in golf
  18. firm — steady
  19. net — for catching
  20. swing — to play on
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. net — in sport
  23. swing — music
  24. lash — to lash out

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