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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 120 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: content · stick · leaves · lean · arm · suit · mark · cue

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. content — happy
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. lean — thin
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. cue — a hint
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. cue — a signal
  10. mark — a trace
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. mark — a grade
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. suit — in cards
  21. content — the amount
  22. lean — to bend
  23. suit — clothes
  24. cue — for pool

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