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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. land — a country
  4. can — to be able to
  5. content — the amount
  6. prune — to trim
  7. content — happy
  8. prune — to trim
  9. lie — to recline
  10. can — a tin
  11. current — of water
  12. land — to come down
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. current — happening now
  15. suit — to fit
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. suit — in cards
  18. land — ground
  19. face — part of the head
  20. current — electric
  21. face — to point toward
  22. face — to confront
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. suit — clothes

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