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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. plane — a tool
  5. content — happy
  6. craft — a skill
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. charge — electricity
  12. charge — a price
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. sharp — clever
  17. craft — boats
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. content — the amount
  20. kick — in football
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. charge — in control

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