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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. content — happy
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. content — the amount
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. bark — to shout
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. deal — to handle
  12. bass — low music
  13. bear — the animal
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bear — the animal
  19. can — a tin
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. can — to be able to
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. wave — of the sea

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