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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. hand — help
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. content — the amount
  5. key — in music
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. rush — hurry
  8. press — to push
  9. key — for a lock
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. hand — in cards
  13. saw — the tool
  14. press — a publisher
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. wax — to grow
  19. press — newspapers
  20. saw — the tool
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. key — the most important part
  23. content — happy
  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