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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. mark — a grade
  7. current — electric
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. content — the amount
  11. can — a tin
  12. rest — what's left
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. current — happening now
  15. current — of water
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. can — a tin
  18. rest — what's left
  19. content — happy
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. rest — a break
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. can — to be able to

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