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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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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. content — happy
  4. chest — of your body
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. foot — a measure
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. present — the time now
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. stock — shares
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. craft — a skill
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. present — a gift
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. stock — goods
  19. craft — boats
  20. chest — of your body
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. content — the amount
  23. present — there
  24. chest — a box

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