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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. suit — in cards
  3. content — the amount
  4. pop — to visit
  5. pop — soda
  6. suit — clothes
  7. object — an aim
  8. object — to protest
  9. hand — help
  10. saw — the tool
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. pop — music
  13. content — happy
  14. cap — of ice
  15. object — a thing
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. cap — a lid
  18. suit — to fit
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. hand — in cards
  21. stand — to bear
  22. cap — a hat
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. hand — part of the body

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