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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. court — of law
  3. content — the amount
  4. race — a contest
  5. pit — a hole
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. court — of a king
  8. can — a tin
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. can — to be able to
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. race — humankind
  14. plane — a tool
  15. spring — the season
  16. can — a tin
  17. race — the arms race
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. spring — of water
  20. court — for sport
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. content — happy
  23. pit — in a race
  24. spring — a coil

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