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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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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: object · jam · lie · bank · wind · rock · content · pit

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. pit — a hole
  3. bank — of a river
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. content — happy
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. rock — music
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. wind — moving air
  10. object — an aim
  11. object — to protest
  12. wind — moving air
  13. pit — in a race
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. lie — to recline
  16. rock — a stone
  17. bank — for money
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. object — a thing
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. bank — for money
  24. content — videos and posts

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