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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. pop — soda
  4. chest — a box
  5. pop — music
  6. chest — of your body
  7. club — a group
  8. content — the amount
  9. club — for dancing
  10. chest — of your body
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. content — happy
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. rock — music
  16. club — for golf
  17. rush — hurry
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. pop — to visit
  24. plane — a tool

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