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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stick · content · bay · can · fan · clip · bowl · face

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. can — a tin
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. face — part of the head
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. face — to confront
  8. clip — a video
  9. face — to point toward
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. can — a tin
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. content — the amount
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. can — to be able to
  16. clip — to cut
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. clip — for paper
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. content — happy

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