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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. rock — a stone
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. lean — thin
  9. spell — magic
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. content — happy
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. lie — to recline
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. pass — a permit
  16. spell — letters
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. lean — to bend
  19. spell — a short time
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. rock — music

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