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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: cabinet · fall · pitcher · hide · safe · content · lash · jam

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. content — happy
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. content — the amount
  9. fall — to drop
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. fall — the season
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. hide — to keep secret

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