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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 116 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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. deal — to handle
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. content — happy
  5. fine — high quality
  6. race — humankind
  7. net — after costs
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. can — to be able to
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. net — for catching
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. net — in sport
  14. race — a contest
  15. charge — electricity
  16. charge — a price
  17. race — the arms race
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. fine — all right
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. content — the amount
  23. can — a tin
  24. charge — in control

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