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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. land — to come down
  6. content — the amount
  7. content — happy
  8. foot — a measure
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. land — ground
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. land — a country
  18. lash — a whip stroke

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