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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: kick · tube · bay · leaves · mark · content · safe · march

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. march — the month
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. content — happy
  11. mark — a trace
  12. tube — the underground
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. kick — in football
  17. mark — a grade
  18. march — the month
  19. tube — a container
  20. march — music
  21. content — the amount
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. content — videos and posts

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