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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. content — happy
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. craft — a skill
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. content — the amount
  7. mug — a cup
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. land — a country
  11. craft — boats
  12. mark — a trace
  13. swing — to play on
  14. swing — music
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. mug — a face
  18. land — ground
  19. bass — the fish
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. land — to come down
  22. swing — in golf
  23. mark — a grade
  24. bass — low music

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