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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. suit — in cards
  3. suit — clothes
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. content — happy
  8. snap — to click
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. craft — a skill
  11. roll — a list
  12. track — to keep track
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. track — a path
  15. roll — a cake
  16. rash — hasty
  17. rash — a series
  18. track — a song
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. suit — to fit
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. craft — boats

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