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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 · mark · can · hide · net · suit · patient · scale

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. scale — size or range
  3. mark — a trace
  4. content — the amount
  5. net — in sport
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. suit — clothes
  9. suit — to fit
  10. suit — in cards
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. mark — a grade
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. net — for catching
  16. content — happy
  17. can — to be able to
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. scale — in music
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. net — after costs
  23. can — a tin
  24. patient — a sick person

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