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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 116 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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. content — the amount
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. plane — a tool
  5. season — in sport
  6. content — happy
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. suit — to fit
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. suit — in cards
  12. hand — help
  13. season — of the year
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. suit — clothes
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. hand — in cards
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. fine — high quality
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. fine — all right
  24. plane — in geometry

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