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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. can — to be able to
  3. fine — high quality
  4. firm — steady
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. content — the amount
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. present — the time now
  12. present — a gift
  13. fine — all right
  14. wake — a trail
  15. ground — a position
  16. can — a tin
  17. ground — the earth
  18. can — a tin
  19. firm — decided
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. ground — crushed
  22. content — happy
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. firm — a company

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