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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. stock — goods
  4. date — the fruit
  5. race — a contest
  6. charge — in control
  7. race — the arms race
  8. race — humankind
  9. hand — help
  10. content — happy
  11. hand — in cards
  12. tube — a container
  13. content — the amount
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. charge — electricity
  16. charge — a price
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. stock — shares
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. tube — the underground
  24. safe — out of danger

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