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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. content — the amount
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. content — happy
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. rash — hasty
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. last — finally
  16. rash — a series
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. perch — the fish
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. last — final
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. perch — for a bird

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