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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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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. cap — a lid
  3. swing — music
  4. ball — a great time
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. can — a tin
  8. content — happy
  9. content — the amount
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. swing — to play on
  12. object — a thing
  13. object — to protest
  14. can — to be able to
  15. roll — a list
  16. cap — a hat
  17. swing — in golf
  18. roll — a cake
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. cap — of ice
  22. object — an aim
  23. ball — a dance
  24. can — a tin

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