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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. can — a tin
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. firm — a company
  5. craft — boats
  6. can — a tin
  7. craft — a skill
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. march — the month
  12. march — music
  13. firm — steady
  14. sharp — clever
  15. current — electric
  16. march — the month
  17. content — happy
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. current — of water
  20. can — to be able to
  21. current — happening now
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. firm — decided

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