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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 116 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
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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 · swing · staff · lean · fine · bulb · press · rest

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. content — the amount
  3. swing — to play on
  4. swing — music
  5. rest — what's left
  6. staff — employees
  7. fine — high quality
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. bulb — for light
  10. swing — in golf
  11. press — a publisher
  12. staff — employees
  13. rest — a break
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. lean — to bend
  16. fine — all right
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bulb — for light
  20. content — happy
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. press — newspapers
  23. press — to push
  24. staff — a stick

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