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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. chest — a box
  5. bank — for money
  6. saw — the tool
  7. content — the amount
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. tear — from crying
  11. bank — of a river
  12. tear — from crying
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. chest — of your body
  15. bank — for money
  16. fall — to drop
  17. fall — the season
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. content — happy
  20. chest — of your body
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. tear — to rip
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. fall — to drop

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