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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. content — happy
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. content — the amount
  5. face — part of the head
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. pop — music
  8. stock — shares
  9. can — a tin
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. cap — of ice
  12. can — a tin
  13. stock — goods
  14. pop — soda
  15. face — to confront
  16. can — to be able to
  17. craft — boats
  18. face — to point toward
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. cap — a hat
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. cap — a lid
  24. craft — a skill

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