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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: bear · mug · safe · sharp · date · lean · trunk · content

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. lean — thin
  3. content — happy
  4. sharp — clever
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. lean — to bend
  8. bear — the animal
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. content — the amount
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. mug — a cup
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. date — the fruit
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. mug — to rob
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. mug — a face

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