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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: content · nail · bulb · bay · deal · lean · roll · lie

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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. lean — to bend
  4. lean — thin
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. deal — to handle
  7. roll — a list
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. roll — a cake
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. lie — to recline
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. content — happy
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — for light
  24. lie — an untruth

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