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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. lean — to bend
  3. content — the amount
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. content — happy
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. lean — thin
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. rest — a break
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. present — there
  12. rest — what's left
  13. can — to be able to
  14. current — happening now
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. present — the time now
  17. deal — to handle
  18. current — of water
  19. current — electric
  20. present — a gift
  21. can — a tin
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. rest — what's left
  24. plane — a tool

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