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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.

Make a worksheet

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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. fine — all right
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. chest — of your body
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. fine — high quality
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. date — the fruit
  15. content — happy
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. content — the amount
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. sharp — clever
  21. chest — a box
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. perch — the fish
  24. chest — of your body

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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