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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. lean — thin
  3. ball — a dance
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. track — to keep track
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. track — a path
  8. content — the amount
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. object — an aim
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. charge — in control
  13. lean — to bend
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. charge — a price
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. content — happy
  19. track — a song
  20. object — to protest
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. ball — a great time
  23. charge — electricity
  24. object — a thing

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