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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  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. safe — out of danger
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. cue — a signal
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. cue — a hint
  9. dip — to sink
  10. lean — to bend
  11. lean — thin
  12. band — a ring
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. pitch — completely
  15. cue — for pool
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. content — the amount
  23. band — a music group
  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