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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.

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: content · present · clip · squash · fan · rush · can · swing

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. swing — to play on
  3. swing — in golf
  4. present — the time now
  5. content — happy
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. squash — to crush
  10. clip — for paper
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. present — there
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. content — the amount
  15. squash — the sport
  16. can — a tin
  17. rush — hurry
  18. clip — a video
  19. can — to be able to
  20. swing — music
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. present — a gift
  24. clip — to cut

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