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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. current — of water
  3. content — the amount
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. band — a ring
  6. present — the time now
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. current — happening now
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. current — electric
  11. deal — to handle
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. toast — bread
  14. present — there
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. game — wild animals
  19. game — a match
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. content — happy
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. band — a music group
  24. deal — an agreement

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