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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — a tin
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. content — happy
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. lean — thin
  8. board — to get on
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. can — to be able to
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. board — a committee
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. branch — a division
  17. lean — to bend
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. deal — to handle
  20. content — the amount
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. wound — an injury
  23. wound — an injury
  24. deal — an agreement

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