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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. band — a music group
  5. craft — a skill
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. content — happy
  9. content — the amount
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. band — a ring
  14. club — a group
  15. club — for dancing
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. fork — in a road
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. club — for golf
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. craft — boats

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