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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 120 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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. content — the amount
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. object — a thing
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. tear — from crying
  10. tear — to rip
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. object — to protest
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. content — happy
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. deal — to handle
  17. mine — for digging
  18. last — final
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. scale — in music
  21. last — to go on
  22. tear — from crying
  23. object — an aim
  24. last — finally

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