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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: date · safe · row · cell · lie · bore · stand · content

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  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. date — on the calendar
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. stand — to bear
  4. cell — in biology
  5. bore — to drill
  6. date — the fruit
  7. bore — to tire
  8. content — the amount
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. cell — a phone
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. row — a line
  14. lie — to recline
  15. row — to paddle
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. safe — out of danger
  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