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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 116 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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. can — to be able to
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. bound — tied together
  6. can — a tin
  7. file — a line of people
  8. can — a tin
  9. file — a document
  10. content — the amount
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. content — happy
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. rush — hurry
  20. file — a tool
  21. bound — obliged
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. wake — a trail
  24. wake — before a funeral

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