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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 116 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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. content — the amount
  3. object — a thing
  4. bound — tied together
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. chair — a leader
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. band — a music group
  10. bound — obliged
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. content — happy
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. object — an aim
  16. bound — certain
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. sharp — clever
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. lean — thin
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. band — a ring
  23. lean — to bend
  24. object — to protest

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