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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. sharp — clever
  4. firm — a company
  5. deal — to handle
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. firm — decided
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bass — low music
  12. content — happy
  13. clip — to cut
  14. bass — the fish
  15. clip — a video
  16. clip — for paper
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. rule — government
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. rule — a law
  22. firm — steady
  23. saw — the tool
  24. sharp — exactly

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