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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — to be able to
  3. content — the amount
  4. fall — to drop
  5. pit — a hole
  6. field — a subject
  7. fall — the season
  8. cap — of ice
  9. field — for sport
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. can — a tin
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. mark — a trace
  14. field — farmland
  15. content — happy
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. fall — to drop
  21. cap — a lid
  22. pit — in a race
  23. cap — a hat
  24. mark — a grade

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