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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. pit — a hole
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. squash — the sport
  5. squash — to crush
  6. track — a song
  7. cap — a hat
  8. content — happy
  9. bore — to drill
  10. pit — in a race
  11. tube — the underground
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. bore — to tire
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. tube — a container
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. track — a path
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. cap — of ice
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. content — the amount
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. track — to keep track

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