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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.

Make a worksheet

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: safe · content · capital · wax · lie · saw · tube · hide

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. saw — the tool
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. saw — the tool
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. lie — to recline
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. content — happy
  14. capital — money
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. content — the amount
  18. tube — a container
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. capital — a city
  22. wax — to grow
  23. tube — the underground
  24. capital — a big letter

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