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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. chair — a leader
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. sharp — clever
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. content — happy
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. content — the amount
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. chair — to sit on

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