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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. object — an aim
  3. squash — the sport
  4. content — happy
  5. march — the month
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. content — the amount
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. object — a thing
  14. squash — to crush
  15. march — music
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. band — a ring
  20. object — to protest
  21. band — a music group
  22. stand — to bear
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. bowl — a dish

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