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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. rest — what's left
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. rest — what's left
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. season — of the year
  8. content — happy
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. rock — a stone
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. rest — a break
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. season — in sport
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. rock — music
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. object — to protest
  20. object — a thing
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. object — an aim

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