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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. pound — a weight
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. root — of a plant
  7. root — of a word
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. cell — in biology
  10. rush — hurry
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. root — the cause
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. content — happy
  19. stand — to bear
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. cell — a phone
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. nail — on a finger

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