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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 116 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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. pit — in a race
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. pit — a hole
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. content — happy
  11. shower — to wash
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. club — for dancing
  15. mark — a trace
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. lie — to recline
  18. shower — rain
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. mark — a grade
  23. club — for golf
  24. content — the amount

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