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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 116 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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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 · stick · wave · pop · band · face · safe · dip

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. face — part of the head
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. content — the amount
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. face — to confront
  11. face — to point toward
  12. pop — soda
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. band — a ring
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. dip — to sink
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. content — happy
  21. pop — music
  22. band — a music group
  23. pop — to visit
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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