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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
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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: squash · jam · calf · lie · chest · file · safe · content

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. lie — to recline
  6. chest — a box
  7. file — a document
  8. squash — to crush
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. content — happy
  11. squash — the sport
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. content — the amount
  15. file — a line of people
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. chest — of your body
  23. file — a tool
  24. chest — of your body

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