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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 120 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: spell · rock · leaves · swing · safe · content · press · fork

  1. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  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. content — happy
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. spell — a short time
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. press — to push
  8. swing — to play on
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. rock — a stone
  13. press — newspapers
  14. spell — letters
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. content — the amount
  18. fork — in a road
  19. press — a publisher
  20. swing — in golf
  21. swing — music
  22. rock — music
  23. spell — magic
  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