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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: bowl · wind · content · rash · lie · can · lean · fork

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. fork — in a road
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. lean — to bend
  8. rash — hasty
  9. wind — moving air
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. can — a tin
  12. content — happy
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. lean — thin
  15. content — the amount
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. rash — a series
  19. can — to be able to
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. wind — moving air
  23. can — a tin
  24. lie — to recline

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