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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. spring — a coil
  3. content — the amount
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. content — happy
  6. mate — a partner
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. mate — to breed
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. race — humankind
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. mate — a friend
  16. spring — of water
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. spring — the season
  21. race — a contest
  22. race — the arms race
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. mouse — for a computer

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