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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. suit — to fit
  5. content — happy
  6. rock — music
  7. dip — to sink
  8. current — happening now
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. suit — in cards
  11. file — a tool
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. current — electric
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. file — a document
  18. content — the amount
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. rock — a stone
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. file — a line of people
  23. suit — clothes
  24. current — of water

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