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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. cap — of ice
  4. cap — a lid
  5. mark — a grade
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. content — the amount
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. pitch — completely
  16. content — happy
  17. squash — the sport
  18. can — a tin
  19. cap — a hat
  20. can — a tin
  21. deal — to handle
  22. can — to be able to
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. squash — to crush

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