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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: lie · cabinet · saw · fine · jam · ground · object · content

  1. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. ground — a position
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. ground — crushed
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. object — a thing
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. saw — the tool
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. content — the amount
  17. ground — the earth
  18. fine — high quality
  19. lie — to recline
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. object — to protest
  22. object — an aim
  23. fine — all right
  24. saw — the tool

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