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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. chest — of your body
  3. season — of the year
  4. rash — hasty
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. file — a document
  8. rash — a series
  9. chest — of your body
  10. season — in sport
  11. content — the amount
  12. can — a tin
  13. key — for a lock
  14. file — a tool
  15. file — a line of people
  16. key — in music
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. can — a tin
  19. key — the most important part
  20. can — to be able to
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. content — happy
  24. chest — a box

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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