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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  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. toast — the most admired
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. swing — music
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. shower — to wash
  7. swing — in golf
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. swing — to play on
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. content — happy
  12. fine — high quality
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. shower — rain
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. fine — all right
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. toast — bread
  21. branch — a division
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — out of danger
  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