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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: leaves · jam · lean · content · ball · rash · scale · tube

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. lean — to bend
  3. tube — a container
  4. content — the amount
  5. lean — thin
  6. tube — the underground
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. scale — size or range
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. ball — a great time
  12. content — happy
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. scale — in music
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. rash — a series
  19. ball — a dance
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. rash — hasty
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. jam — in traffic

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