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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. content — happy
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. content — the amount
  6. court — of a king
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. drill — army training
  9. drill — a practice
  10. bass — low music
  11. scale — size or range
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. drill — the tool
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. court — of law
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. court — for sport
  21. perch — the fish
  22. bass — the fish
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. ruler — for measuring

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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