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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. content — the amount
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. stem — to come from
  6. face — part of the head
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. charge — in control
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. face — to point toward
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. dip — to sink
  16. charge — electricity
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. content — happy
  19. charge — a price
  20. rule — government
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. face — to confront
  24. jam — in traffic

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