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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 120 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
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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: safe · suit · content · bound · rest · squash · hand · bank

  1. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. suit — clothes
  3. bank — of a river
  4. squash — the sport
  5. suit — to fit
  6. rest — a break
  7. hand — in cards
  8. bank — for money
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. hand — help
  11. bound — tied together
  12. suit — in cards
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. bound — obliged
  17. squash — to crush
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — what's left
  21. bank — for money
  22. content — the amount
  23. bound — certain
  24. safe — out of danger

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