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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. season — in sport
  3. hand — help
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. lean — thin
  7. root — the cause
  8. root — of a plant
  9. lean — to bend
  10. content — happy
  11. content — the amount
  12. net — for catching
  13. net — in sport
  14. squash — to crush
  15. squash — the sport
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. hand — in cards
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. root — of a word
  20. season — of the year
  21. net — after costs
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. ruler — a monarch

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