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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. chair — a leader
  3. track — to keep track
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. fork — in a road
  7. drill — the tool
  8. drill — army training
  9. board — a committee
  10. track — a path
  11. track — a song
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. pop — to visit
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. content — the amount
  17. drill — a practice
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. board — to get on
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. pop — music
  24. content — happy

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