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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bulb · safe · present · squash · content · chair · tube · charge

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  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. chair — to sit on
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. chair — a leader
  4. present — there
  5. charge — a price
  6. squash — the sport
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. charge — electricity
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. present — a gift
  12. present — the time now
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. tube — the underground
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. charge — in control
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — for light
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. tube — a container
  21. content — the amount
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. squash — to crush
  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