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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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. can — a tin
  3. content — happy
  4. stock — shares
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. can — to be able to
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. stock — goods
  10. content — the amount
  11. lean — to bend
  12. current — happening now
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. clip — a video
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. current — electric
  18. clip — to cut
  19. can — a tin
  20. lean — thin
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. current — of water
  24. safe — out of danger

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