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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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. present — the time now
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. hand — in cards
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. key — in music
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. shower — rain
  10. content — the amount
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. key — the most important part
  14. hand — help
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. present — a gift
  20. present — there
  21. tube — the underground
  22. shower — to wash
  23. content — happy
  24. key — for a lock

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