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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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. hand — in cards
  3. lie — to recline
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. current — electric
  7. hand — help
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. rock — a stone
  11. current — of water
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. rock — music
  14. lean — to bend
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. content — the amount
  17. current — happening now
  18. pound — a weight
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. can — a tin
  21. lean — thin
  22. can — to be able to
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. can — a tin

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