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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. firm — a company
  3. content — happy
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. march — the month
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. charge — electricity
  10. march — music
  11. bank — of a river
  12. firm — decided
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. march — the month
  16. charge — a price
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. bank — for money
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. content — the amount
  22. charge — in control
  23. date — the fruit
  24. bank — for money

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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