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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: clip · chest · content · safe · cabinet · jam · ball · key

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  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. chest — a box
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. chest — of your body
  4. content — the amount
  5. chest — of your body
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. key — the most important part
  10. clip — to cut
  11. clip — for paper
  12. ball — a great time
  13. key — for a lock
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. ball — a dance
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. clip — a video
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. key — in music
  23. content — videos and posts
  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