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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 · safe · deal · rock · scale · fall · arm · row

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. content — the amount
  4. row — a line
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. scale — size or range
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. content — happy
  12. rock — a stone
  13. scale — in music
  14. fall — the season
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. deal — to handle
  17. row — to paddle
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. rock — music
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. fall — to drop
  23. fall — to drop
  24. safe — out of danger

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