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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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468
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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. content — the amount
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. can — a tin
  6. root — the cause
  7. content — happy
  8. root — of a plant
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. cold — an illness
  13. kick — in football
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. can — to be able to
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. root — of a word
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. cold — not warm
  22. can — a tin
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. ruler — a monarch

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