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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. suit — clothes
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. court — of a king
  5. content — the amount
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. squash — to crush
  8. squash — the sport
  9. mug — to rob
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. content — happy
  13. prune — to trim
  14. court — for sport
  15. prune — to trim
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. suit — in cards
  19. court — of law
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. mug — a cup
  23. mug — a face
  24. ruler — for measuring

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