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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  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. content — videos and posts
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. net — after costs
  7. content — the amount
  8. net — in sport
  9. can — a tin
  10. snap — to click
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. net — for catching
  13. deal — to handle
  14. pitch — completely
  15. can — a tin
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. content — happy
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. bulb — for light
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. bulb — for light
  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