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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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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. deal — to handle
  4. tube — a container
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — to be able to
  9. chip — for betting
  10. march — the month
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. bear — the animal
  14. march — music
  15. chip — to eat
  16. content — the amount
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. tube — the underground
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. content — happy
  21. bear — the animal
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. march — the month
  24. tube — in a tire

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