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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. deal — to handle
  3. can — a tin
  4. land — ground
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. fall — to drop
  7. club — a group
  8. land — to come down
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. present — the time now
  12. fall — to drop
  13. fall — the season
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. can — to be able to
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. present — a gift
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. can — a tin
  20. club — for dancing
  21. land — a country
  22. club — for golf
  23. content — happy
  24. content — the amount

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