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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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. cell — in biology
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. spring — a coil
  5. can — a tin
  6. cell — a phone
  7. can — to be able to
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. can — a tin
  10. spring — the season
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. tube — the underground
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. tube — a container
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. content — happy
  21. content — the amount
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. safe — out of danger

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