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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 put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. bear — the animal
  4. cap — a hat
  5. rush — hurry
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. can — to be able to
  8. bear — the animal
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. can — a tin
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. cap — of ice
  13. chair — a leader
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. content — happy
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. cap — a lid
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. pitch — completely
  22. can — a tin
  23. content — the amount
  24. safe — out of danger

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