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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: content · pop · file · wave · sharp · club · stand · toast

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. content — the amount
  4. toast — bread
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. club — for golf
  8. pop — music
  9. file — a document
  10. stand — to bear
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. content — happy
  17. pop — to visit
  18. pop — soda
  19. file — a line of people
  20. club — a group
  21. file — a tool
  22. club — for dancing
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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