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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. game — wild animals
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. content — the amount
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. stand — to bear
  16. content — happy
  17. bass — the fish
  18. wind — moving air
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. bass — low music
  21. wind — moving air
  22. game — a match
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. bass — the instrument

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