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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. present — there
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. ball — a great time
  6. bound — tied together
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. present — a gift
  12. content — happy
  13. content — the amount
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. plane — a tool
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pass — a permit
  19. present — the time now
  20. ball — a dance
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. bound — certain
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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