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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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. sharp — clever
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. branch — a division
  5. pit — a hole
  6. content — the amount
  7. rest — what's left
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. rest — a break
  12. bank — for money
  13. pit — in a race
  14. bank — of a river
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. vault — a safe
  19. bank — for money
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. rest — what's left
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. branch — of a bank

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