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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. content — happy
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. face — to point toward
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. dip — to sink
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. pound — a weight
  18. face — to confront
  19. stand — to bear
  20. content — the amount
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. wake — a trail
  23. face — part of the head
  24. pound — for dogs

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