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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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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. season — of the year
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. rest — what's left
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. rest — a break
  12. content — happy
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. scale — size or range
  15. content — the amount
  16. scale — in music
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. chip — for betting
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. chip — to eat
  21. rest — what's left
  22. season — in sport
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. bowl — a football final

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