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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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. rush — hurry
  5. tube — a container
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. ball — a dance
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. tube — the underground
  19. ball — a great time
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. content — the amount
  24. wake — a trail

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