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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: wave · content · toast · pitcher · cue · firm · safe · bay

  1. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. cue — for pool
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. cue — a hint
  8. toast — bread
  9. firm — decided
  10. cue — a signal
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. firm — a company
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. firm — steady
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. content — the amount
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. bay — a horse colour

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