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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 116 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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. content — happy
  3. suit — in cards
  4. tube — a container
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. suit — clothes
  8. lean — thin
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. drill — a practice
  11. wake — a trail
  12. tube — the underground
  13. firm — decided
  14. pass — a permit
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. content — the amount
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. lean — to bend
  20. firm — steady
  21. drill — army training
  22. firm — a company
  23. suit — to fit
  24. drill — the tool

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