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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. content — happy
  4. clip — for paper
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. current — happening now
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. current — of water
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. content — the amount
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. current — electric
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. clip — to cut
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. clip — a video
  24. hide — to keep secret

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