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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. fall — to drop
  3. charge — in control
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. can — a tin
  6. net — after costs
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. net — for catching
  9. content — the amount
  10. fall — to drop
  11. stem — to come from
  12. fall — the season
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. net — in sport
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. can — a tin
  17. charge — a price
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. charge — electricity
  20. can — to be able to
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. fine — all right
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. content — happy

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