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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. content — the amount
  4. pop — to visit
  5. firm — a company
  6. court — for sport
  7. bark — to shout
  8. firm — decided
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. pop — soda
  11. bat — the animal
  12. pop — music
  13. court — of a king
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. firm — steady
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. content — happy
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. court — of law
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. content — videos and posts

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