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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.

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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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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: content · tear · fine · ground · land · mate · can · bulb

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. content — the amount
  3. can — a tin
  4. land — a country
  5. mate — a partner
  6. fine — all right
  7. tear — from crying
  8. mate — a friend
  9. bulb — for light
  10. mate — to breed
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. land — ground
  13. can — a tin
  14. ground — a position
  15. tear — from crying
  16. tear — to rip
  17. bulb — for light
  18. land — to come down
  19. ground — crushed
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. content — happy
  22. can — to be able to
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. fine — high quality

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