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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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468
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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. present — there
  3. object — to protest
  4. can — a tin
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. present — the time now
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. root — of a word
  9. present — a gift
  10. content — happy
  11. object — a thing
  12. can — to be able to
  13. bulb — for light
  14. content — the amount
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. root — of a plant
  17. root — the cause
  18. swing — to play on
  19. bulb — for light
  20. swing — in golf
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. swing — music
  23. object — an aim
  24. bulb — of a plant

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