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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. firm — a company
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. object — an aim
  7. content — happy
  8. net — for catching
  9. tube — a container
  10. object — a thing
  11. object — to protest
  12. tube — the underground
  13. firm — decided
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. firm — steady
  16. can — a tin
  17. net — in sport
  18. can — to be able to
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. content — the amount
  21. net — after costs
  22. fork — in a road
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. ruler — a monarch

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