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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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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 · spell · cabinet · deal · dip · snap · jam · perch

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. spell — a short time
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. spell — letters
  10. dip — to sink
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. spell — magic
  14. content — the amount
  15. content — happy
  16. perch — the fish
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. deal — to handle
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. snap — to click
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. dip — a sauce

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