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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 116 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. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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. capital — a city
  5. ball — a great time
  6. ball — a dance
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. capital — money
  9. rest — a break
  10. stand — to bear
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. wound — an injury
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — what's left
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. content — the amount
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. wound — an injury
  23. squash — to crush
  24. content — happy

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