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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. sharp — clever
  11. charge — in control
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. squash — to crush
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. content — the amount
  17. mark — a grade
  18. content — happy
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. lie — to recline
  21. charge — electricity
  22. mark — a trace
  23. charge — a price
  24. fork — in a road

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