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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. net — for catching
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. race — the arms race
  8. race — a contest
  9. race — humankind
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. net — in sport
  13. net — after costs
  14. content — the amount
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mark — a grade
  18. lean — thin
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. lean — to bend
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. content — happy
  24. mark — a trace

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