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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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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: firm · dip · content · clip · cap · bulb · present · mouse

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. firm — decided
  3. present — the time now
  4. cap — of ice
  5. clip — a video
  6. cap — a hat
  7. bulb — for light
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. clip — for paper
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. clip — to cut
  13. firm — a company
  14. content — the amount
  15. dip — to sink
  16. present — there
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. firm — steady
  19. present — a gift
  20. cap — a lid
  21. content — happy
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. dip — to dunk

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