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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 116 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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — a tin
  3. file — a tool
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. ground — the earth
  6. content — the amount
  7. pit — in a race
  8. file — a line of people
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. ground — crushed
  14. bulb — for light
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. file — a document
  17. can — to be able to
  18. content — happy
  19. bulb — for light
  20. ground — a position
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. pit — a hole

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