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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.

Make a worksheet

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

  1. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. wound — an injury
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. can — to be able to
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. can — a tin
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. content — the amount
  11. can — a tin
  12. stand — to bear
  13. ball — a dance
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. ball — a great time
  18. coach — a trainer

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