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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.

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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 · pass · content · pop · face · chair · present · drill

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. content — the amount
  3. drill — army training
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. drill — a practice
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. face — to confront
  9. face — part of the head
  10. content — happy
  11. face — to point toward
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. chair — a leader
  14. pop — soda
  15. drill — the tool
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pop — to visit
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. pass — a permit
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. present — a gift
  23. present — the time now
  24. pop — music

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