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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 120 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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. wake — a trail
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. content — the amount
  7. cell — in biology
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. wind — moving air
  14. fine — all right
  15. stock — goods
  16. wind — moving air
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. content — happy
  19. cell — a phone
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. stock — shares
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fine — high quality
  24. cell — in a prison

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