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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. key — in music
  3. suit — in cards
  4. file — a line of people
  5. file — a document
  6. content — happy
  7. key — for a lock
  8. field — for sport
  9. lean — thin
  10. lean — to bend
  11. file — a tool
  12. key — the most important part
  13. field — a subject
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. suit — to fit
  16. pit — in a race
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. field — farmland
  20. content — the amount
  21. pit — a hole
  22. suit — clothes
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. lean — to rest against

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