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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. bound — obliged
  3. fall — to drop
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. fall — to drop
  7. content — happy
  8. rest — what's left
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. object — to protest
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. bound — tied together
  13. fall — the season
  14. object — a thing
  15. deal — to handle
  16. rest — a break
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bound — certain
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. object — an aim
  22. rest — what's left
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. toast — bread

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