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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. mug — a cup
  3. cap — of ice
  4. mug — to rob
  5. squash — to crush
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. cap — a lid
  8. bear — the animal
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. snap — to click
  11. squash — the sport
  12. can — to be able to
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. can — a tin
  15. content — happy
  16. cap — a hat
  17. content — the amount
  18. mug — a face
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. bear — the animal
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. can — a tin

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