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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: dip · cabinet · ground · hide · can · content

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. can — to be able to
  3. content — happy
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. can — a tin
  6. ground — crushed
  7. content — the amount
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. ground — the earth
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. ground — a position
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. can — a tin
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. dip — to sink
  18. cabinet — ministers

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