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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. mate — a friend
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. row — to paddle
  10. sharp — clever
  11. tube — the underground
  12. content — the amount
  13. mate — to breed
  14. row — a line
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. tube — a container
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. deal — to handle
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. mate — a partner
  24. content — happy

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