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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. content — the amount
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. land — to come down
  9. content — happy
  10. lean — to bend
  11. land — ground
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. ball — a great time
  15. land — a country
  16. bank — for money
  17. lie — to recline
  18. lean — thin
  19. ball — a dance
  20. bank — for money
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. sharp — clever
  24. pound — a weight

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