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

Word bank: firm · mark · wake · safe · content · kick · charge · snap

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. mark — a grade
  5. charge — in control
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. kick — in football
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. firm — decided
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. charge — a price
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. firm — steady
  16. mark — a trace
  17. content — the amount
  18. charge — electricity
  19. snap — to click
  20. firm — a company
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. wake — a trail
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. content — happy

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