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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. swing — in golf
  5. tube — a container
  6. content — happy
  7. scale — size or range
  8. lean — thin
  9. cue — for pool
  10. scale — in music
  11. swing — music
  12. swing — to play on
  13. cue — a signal
  14. content — the amount
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. season — of the year
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. season — in sport
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. cue — a hint
  24. tube — the underground

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