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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. bound — tied together
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. bound — certain
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. race — the arms race
  7. race — humankind
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. dip — to sink
  12. content — the amount
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. fork — in a road
  15. bound — obliged
  16. press — to push
  17. press — a publisher
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. deal — to handle
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. press — newspapers
  23. content — happy
  24. race — a contest

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