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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. press — to push
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. prune — to trim
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. prune — to trim
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. press — a publisher
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. kid — child
  16. content — happy
  17. kid — to tease
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. press — newspapers
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. snap — to click
  24. prune — the fruit

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