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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: content · wake · can · mug · mate · lean · mark · staff

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. mate — a partner
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. staff — a stick
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. staff — employees
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. mug — to rob
  9. mark — a trace
  10. lean — to bend
  11. content — happy
  12. wake — a trail
  13. can — a tin
  14. mate — to breed
  15. content — the amount
  16. mug — a face
  17. mug — a cup
  18. mate — a friend
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. staff — employees
  21. can — to be able to
  22. lean — thin
  23. mark — a grade
  24. can — a tin

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