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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. wind — moving air
  4. fork — in a road
  5. foot — a measure
  6. march — the month
  7. content — the amount
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. suit — to fit
  10. squash — the sport
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. wind — moving air
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. march — music
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. suit — clothes
  20. squash — to crush
  21. content — happy
  22. march — the month
  23. suit — in cards
  24. foot — the bottom

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