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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 120 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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — a tin
  6. staff — a stick
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. staff — employees
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. pass — a permit
  12. content — the amount
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. root — of a word
  16. staff — employees
  17. root — of a plant
  18. game — a match
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. root — the cause
  22. content — happy
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. can — to be able to

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