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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. content — happy
  5. staff — employees
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. staff — employees
  8. sharp — clever
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. lean — thin
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. lean — to bend
  13. land — a country
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. land — to come down
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. staff — a stick
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. land — ground

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