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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. game — wild animals
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. spell — magic
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. spell — a short time
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. lie — to recline
  17. kid — to tease
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. content — happy
  20. spell — letters
  21. game — a match
  22. content — the amount
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. kid — child

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