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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. key — in music
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. stock — shares
  10. can — a tin
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. prune — to trim
  15. content — the amount
  16. key — the most important part
  17. key — for a lock
  18. content — happy
  19. can — a tin
  20. stock — goods
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. prune — to trim
  24. deal — to handle

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