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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. spring — of water
  3. fall — to drop
  4. firm — a company
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. spring — a coil
  7. firm — decided
  8. mark — a grade
  9. fall — to drop
  10. mark — a trace
  11. can — to be able to
  12. fall — the season
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. content — the amount
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. spring — the season
  18. can — a tin
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. content — happy
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. firm — steady

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