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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: object · lean · squash · board · fine · content · key · deal

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  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 — videos and posts
  2. content — happy
  3. key — the most important part
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. board — a committee
  6. key — in music
  7. lean — thin
  8. squash — the sport
  9. board — to get on
  10. deal — to handle
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. key — for a lock
  13. object — a thing
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. object — to protest
  17. object — an aim
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. content — the amount
  21. fine — all right
  22. squash — to crush
  23. fine — high quality
  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