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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. file — a line of people
  3. net — after costs
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. rule — a law
  7. content — happy
  8. file — a tool
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. plane — a tool
  13. stand — to bear
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. net — in sport
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. file — a document
  22. net — for catching
  23. rule — government
  24. rule — to rule out

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