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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 120 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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. rock — a stone
  3. lean — thin
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. net — after costs
  6. swing — music
  7. rock — music
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. mark — a grade
  11. net — for catching
  12. content — happy
  13. lean — to bend
  14. content — the amount
  15. swing — in golf
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. swing — to play on
  18. rush — hurry
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. mark — a trace
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. net — in sport

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