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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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. roll — a cake
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — a tin
  9. content — the amount
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. roll — a list
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. rock — music
  16. content — happy
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. band — a music group
  21. snap — to click
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. rush — hurry
  24. can — to be able to

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