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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. content — the amount
  4. fork — in a road
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. mark — a trace
  7. track — a song
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. mark — a grade
  10. content — happy
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. track — to keep track
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. can — to be able to
  19. can — a tin
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. can — a tin
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. track — a path

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