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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. ground — a position
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. deal — to handle
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. mark — a grade
  9. content — the amount
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. content — happy
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. charge — a price
  15. wind — moving air
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. charge — in control
  18. snap — to click
  19. charge — electricity
  20. ground — crushed
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. wind — moving air
  24. ground — the earth

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