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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. present — a gift
  4. cue — a signal
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. mate — a partner
  8. bear — the animal
  9. present — there
  10. mate — a friend
  11. cue — for pool
  12. bear — the animal
  13. content — the amount
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. mate — to breed
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. cue — a hint
  20. content — happy
  21. lean — to bend
  22. fork — in a road
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. lean — thin

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