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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. last — to go on
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. shower — to wash
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. stand — to bear
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — the tool
  10. content — the amount
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. last — final
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. rock — a stone
  16. content — happy
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. last — finally
  22. shower — rain
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. content — videos and posts

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