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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 opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. firm — a company
  3. content — happy
  4. lean — to bend
  5. content — the amount
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. lean — thin
  8. can — a tin
  9. bore — to drill
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. firm — decided
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. can — to be able to
  15. toast — bread
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. firm — steady
  21. bore — to tire
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. safe — out of danger

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