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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. firm — a company
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. key — the most important part
  5. stock — shares
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. present — a gift
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. firm — decided
  10. key — in music
  11. key — for a lock
  12. firm — steady
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. pitch — completely
  17. present — there
  18. present — the time now
  19. lie — to recline
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. stock — goods
  23. content — happy
  24. pitch — a sports field

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