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

Word bank: can · face · deal · stand · content · chip · pit · perch

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. deal — to handle
  4. can — a tin
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. can — a tin
  7. content — happy
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. chip — to eat
  11. stand — to bear
  12. face — part of the head
  13. face — to point toward
  14. chip — for betting
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. pit — a hole
  20. perch — the fish
  21. can — to be able to
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. pit — in a race
  24. content — the amount

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