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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. clip — for paper
  3. content — the amount
  4. firm — a company
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. stock — goods
  9. rest — a break
  10. firm — decided
  11. firm — steady
  12. roll — a list
  13. rash — a series
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. clip — a video
  17. rest — what's left
  18. content — happy
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. stock — shares
  21. rest — what's left
  22. clip — to cut
  23. roll — a cake
  24. rash — hasty

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