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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. rest — what's left
  4. pop — soda
  5. pop — to visit
  6. wax — to grow
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. content — happy
  12. pit — in a race
  13. rest — a break
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. pop — music
  19. content — the amount
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. arm — part of the body

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