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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. can — a tin
  3. content — the amount
  4. can — a tin
  5. content — happy
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. sharp — clever
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. tube — a container
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. wake — a trail
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. can — to be able to
  21. tube — the underground
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. wake — before a funeral

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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