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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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. squash — the sport
  7. lean — thin
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. pass — a permit
  12. lean — to bend
  13. face — part of the head
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. stock — shares
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. squash — to crush
  18. face — to point toward
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. face — to confront
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. content — the amount
  23. stock — goods
  24. squash — the vegetable

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