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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. pit — in a race
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. cap — a lid
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. current — happening now
  7. bear — the animal
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. content — happy
  10. cap — a hat
  11. cap — of ice
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. current — electric
  14. can — a tin
  15. pit — a hole
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. current — of water
  18. can — to be able to
  19. dip — to sink
  20. can — a tin
  21. content — the amount
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. bear — the animal

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