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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 120 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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. file — a line of people
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. spell — letters
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. file — a tool
  12. stand — to bear
  13. content — happy
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. row — a line
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. stock — shares
  18. stock — goods
  19. content — the amount
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. row — to paddle
  22. spell — a short time
  23. file — a document
  24. spell — magic

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