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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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. firm — steady
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. content — happy
  12. firm — decided
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. content — the amount
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. date — the fruit
  21. firm — a company
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. rush — to hurry

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