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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: safe · sharp · file · content · dip · track · pop · swing

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. pop — to visit
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. swing — to play on
  6. content — happy
  7. swing — music
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. track — to keep track
  11. content — the amount
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. swing — in golf
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. file — a document
  16. file — a line of people
  17. track — a song
  18. sharp — clever
  19. pop — music
  20. pop — soda
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. track — a path
  23. file — a tool
  24. dip — to dunk

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