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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: file · can · toast · lie · key · content · rock · band

  1. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — a tin
  4. band — a music group
  5. content — the amount
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. file — a line of people
  9. lie — to recline
  10. key — for a lock
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. band — a ring
  14. toast — bread
  15. key — in music
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. rock — a stone
  18. rock — music
  19. key — the most important part
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. file — a document
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. file — a tool
  24. can — to be able to

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