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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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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: content · band · safe · mouse · pop · leaves · squash · saw

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. squash — the sport
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. band — a music group
  10. pop — music
  11. pop — soda
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. saw — the tool
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. saw — the tool
  16. content — happy
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. band — a ring
  19. pop — to visit
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. squash — to crush

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