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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. drill — army training
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. content — happy
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. drill — a practice
  7. drill — the tool
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. cue — a signal
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. bank — for money
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. ball — a dance
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. cue — for pool
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ball — a great time
  20. cue — a hint
  21. bank — of a river
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bank — for money

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