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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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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: content · suit · can · safe · ground · net · rush · bat

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. suit — in cards
  3. ground — the earth
  4. content — the amount
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. content — happy
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. can — to be able to
  10. net — after costs
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. can — a tin
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. suit — to fit
  15. ground — a position
  16. bat — the animal
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. can — a tin
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. net — for catching
  21. suit — clothes
  22. ground — crushed
  23. net — in sport
  24. rush — to hurry

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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