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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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. net — in sport
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. net — after costs
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. track — a path
  8. pop — soda
  9. bank — of a river
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. pop — music
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — for money
  16. track — a song
  17. track — to keep track
  18. vault — a safe
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. pop — to visit
  23. net — for catching
  24. content — the amount

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