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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: lean · charge · stick · land · scale · content · lash · band

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. charge — in control
  3. land — ground
  4. content — the amount
  5. band — a ring
  6. land — to come down
  7. scale — size or range
  8. lean — to bend
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. lean — thin
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. scale — in music
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. charge — electricity
  18. band — a music group
  19. content — happy
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. land — a country
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. charge — a price

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