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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: chest · date · straw · suit · safe · content · rule · wave

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. content — the amount
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. suit — clothes
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. rule — a law
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. content — happy
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. chest — of your body
  19. rule — government
  20. chest — of your body
  21. date — the fruit
  22. suit — to fit
  23. chest — a box
  24. suit — in cards

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