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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: spring · safe · sharp · lash · mark · content · pound · cabinet

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. content — happy
  8. spring — the season
  9. mark — a grade
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. spring — of water
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. spring — a coil
  18. content — the amount
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. mark — a trace
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. sharp — clever

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