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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. chip — for betting
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. content — happy
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. fine — high quality
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. chip — to eat
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. pit — in a race
  18. pit — a hole
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. content — the amount

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