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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. content — the amount
  6. lean — to bend
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. content — happy
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. season — in sport
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. dip — to sink
  13. roll — a list
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. lean — thin
  17. rock — a stone
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. roll — a cake
  22. season — of the year
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. rock — music

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