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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. march — music
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. bulb — for light
  7. hand — help
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. ground — the earth
  10. march — the month
  11. rock — a stone
  12. hand — in cards
  13. bulb — for light
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. ground — crushed
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. ground — a position
  18. press — to push
  19. rock — music
  20. content — the amount
  21. press — a publisher
  22. content — happy
  23. march — the month
  24. press — newspapers

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