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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. can — a tin
  3. content — the amount
  4. board — to get on
  5. club — for dancing
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. ground — a position
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — to be able to
  10. club — a group
  11. lean — to bend
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. ground — the earth
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. content — happy
  19. board — a committee
  20. ground — crushed
  21. band — a ring
  22. band — a music group
  23. lean — thin
  24. club — for golf

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