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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
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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: swing · chair · stand · lean · content · rash · current · bowl

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. current — happening now
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. stand — to bear
  6. rash — hasty
  7. swing — in golf
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. rash — a series
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. chair — a leader
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. current — electric
  18. content — happy
  19. lean — thin
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. swing — to play on
  22. swing — music
  23. current — of water
  24. lean — to bend

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