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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. content — the amount
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. row — a line
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. firm — decided
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. firm — steady
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. bound — obliged
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. row — to paddle
  15. content — happy
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. branch — a division
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. bound — certain
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. firm — a company
  22. bound — tied together
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. fan — a supporter

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