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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mouse · straw · mark · rash · rule · safe · content · ball

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. content — the amount
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. mark — a grade
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. rash — a series
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. rash — hasty
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. rule — government
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. ball — a dance
  19. content — happy
  20. ball — a great time
  21. rule — a law
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. mark — a trace
  24. mouse — the animal

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