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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. content — the amount
  3. can — a tin
  4. snap — to click
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. content — happy
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. club — a group
  15. pop — music
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. club — for dancing
  18. pop — soda
  19. toast — bread
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. club — for golf
  22. can — to be able to
  23. lie — to recline
  24. can — a tin

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