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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. fine — all right
  3. content — happy
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. fine — high quality
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. squash — to crush
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. content — the amount
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. fork — in a road
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. squash — the sport
  24. fork — a garden tool

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