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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. game — wild animals
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. can — to be able to
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. mate — a partner
  9. sharp — clever
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. rule — a law
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. rule — government
  16. game — a match
  17. mate — a friend
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. content — the amount
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. can — a tin
  22. plane — a tool
  23. content — happy
  24. mate — to breed

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