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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bound — certain
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. rock — a stone
  9. chest — a box
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. row — to paddle
  13. rock — music
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. bound — obliged
  16. pop — music
  17. content — happy
  18. pop — to visit
  19. chest — of your body
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. chest — of your body
  23. row — a line
  24. pop — soda

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