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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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: content · wave · sharp · band · bay · lean · fan · key

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. lean — to bend
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. content — the amount
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. key — in music
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. band — a music group
  14. sharp — clever
  15. lean — thin
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. band — a ring
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. content — happy
  22. key — the most important part
  23. key — for a lock
  24. fan — a supporter

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