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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. dip — to sink
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bound — tied together
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. content — happy
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. snap — to click
  14. plane — a tool
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — to recline
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bound — obliged
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. bound — certain
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. content — the amount

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