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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. swing — music
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. fork — in a road
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. content — happy
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. swing — to play on
  10. stand — to bear
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. craft — a skill
  14. swing — in golf
  15. season — of the year
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. season — in sport
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — the animal
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. content — the amount
  22. craft — boats
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. fork — a garden tool

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