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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 116 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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. net — for catching
  3. content — the amount
  4. land — ground
  5. land — to come down
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. net — in sport
  10. suit — to fit
  11. suit — in cards
  12. net — after costs
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. content — happy
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. ball — a great time
  18. stand — to bear
  19. ball — a dance
  20. land — a country
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. suit — clothes
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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