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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  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. content — the amount
  2. saw — the tool
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. chest — of your body
  5. firm — steady
  6. saw — the tool
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. firm — decided
  10. charge — a price
  11. drill — the tool
  12. drill — army training
  13. chest — of your body
  14. content — happy
  15. drill — a practice
  16. deal — to handle
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. charge — in control
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. charge — electricity
  21. chest — a box
  22. firm — a company
  23. deal — an agreement
  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