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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'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. content — the amount
  3. court — of law
  4. content — happy
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. stem — to come from
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. net — after costs
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. craft — a skill
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. squash — to crush
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — a tin
  19. net — in sport
  20. craft — boats
  21. net — for catching
  22. court — of a king
  23. can — to be able to
  24. court — for sport

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