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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. suit — clothes
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. root — of a word
  7. pop — soda
  8. pop — to visit
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. suit — to fit
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. root — of a plant
  14. pop — music
  15. suit — in cards
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. content — happy
  20. root — the cause
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. vault — a safe
  24. content — the amount

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