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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  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. squash — the sport
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. content — happy
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. swing — to play on
  7. swing — music
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. squash — to crush
  12. content — the amount
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. fork — in a road
  17. toast — bread
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. swing — in golf
  24. ruler — for measuring

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