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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. bank — of a river
  4. lean — to bend
  5. lean — thin
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. content — happy
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. bass — low music
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bank — for money
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. bank — for money
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. content — the amount
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. bass — the fish

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