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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. content — happy
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. march — the month
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. foot — a measure
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. content — the amount
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. pass — a permit
  15. sharp — clever
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. march — the month
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. march — music
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. sharp — with an edge

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