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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: last · stick · content · sharp · lie · lean · mark · fine

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. content — the amount
  4. last — to go on
  5. sharp — clever
  6. lean — to bend
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. mark — a grade
  9. lie — to recline
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. last — finally
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mark — a trace
  18. fine — high quality
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. content — happy
  21. last — final
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lean — thin

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