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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. scale — in music
  4. content — happy
  5. bass — the fish
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. row — a line
  8. club — for dancing
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. scale — size or range
  12. club — a group
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. row — to paddle
  17. club — for golf
  18. content — the amount
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bass — low music
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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