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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 shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. craft — boats
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. chest — of your body
  7. fine — all right
  8. object — an aim
  9. press — to push
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. press — newspapers
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. content — the amount
  14. object — a thing
  15. dip — to sink
  16. chest — of your body
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. content — happy
  21. craft — a skill
  22. object — to protest
  23. press — a publisher
  24. chest — a box

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