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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. content — the amount
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — the fish
  8. ground — the earth
  9. face — part of the head
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. ground — crushed
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. face — to confront
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ground — a position
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. face — to point toward
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. content — happy
  20. stand — to bear
  21. squash — to crush
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. bowl — a football final

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