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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. chest — a box
  3. row — to paddle
  4. content — the amount
  5. spell — a short time
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. tear — to rip
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. spell — letters
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. spell — magic
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. chest — of your body
  17. chest — of your body
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. tear — from crying
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. content — happy
  24. tear — from crying

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