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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. content — the amount
  4. mine — for digging
  5. roll — a list
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. spring — a coil
  10. present — the time now
  11. spring — the season
  12. club — for dancing
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. roll — a cake
  15. present — there
  16. club — a group
  17. content — happy
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. snap — to click
  20. present — a gift
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. spring — of water
  24. club — for golf

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