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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. scale — size or range
  3. bank — for money
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. content — the amount
  10. scale — in music
  11. date — the fruit
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bank — for money
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. content — happy
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. wound — an injury
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. bank — of a river

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