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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. stock — shares
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. last — finally
  8. bound — certain
  9. swing — music
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. bound — tied together
  12. bound — obliged
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. swing — to play on
  15. last — final
  16. lie — to recline
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. last — to go on
  19. stock — goods
  20. content — the amount
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. content — happy
  23. mine — for digging
  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