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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: roll · squash · bore · safe · foot · content · can · hide

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. roll — a cake
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bore — to drill
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. squash — to crush
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. content — the amount
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. foot — a measure
  14. can — a tin
  15. squash — the sport
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. content — happy
  18. can — to be able to
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. can — a tin
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bore — to tire
  24. roll — a list

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