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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. charge — in control
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. net — in sport
  5. row — to paddle
  6. net — after costs
  7. content — the amount
  8. net — for catching
  9. charge — a price
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. charge — electricity
  12. kick — in football
  13. content — happy
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. bass — the fish
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. row — a line
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. bass — low music
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. safe — a strongbox

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