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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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  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 — happy
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. content — the amount
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. squash — to crush
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. mark — a trace
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. mark — a grade
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. vault — a safe
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. ball — a great time
  18. squash — the sport
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. ball — a dance
  23. ball — a round shape
  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