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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. suit — clothes
  3. scale — in music
  4. scale — size or range
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. deal — to handle
  8. suit — to fit
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. branch — a division
  11. court — for sport
  12. content — happy
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. court — of a king
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. suit — in cards
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. court — of law
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. branch — of a tree

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