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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. present — a gift
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. content — the amount
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. snap — to click
  11. present — there
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. scale — size or range
  17. mine — for digging
  18. board — to get on
  19. board — a committee
  20. content — happy
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. present — the time now
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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