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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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468
Word bank
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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. content — happy
  6. tear — to rip
  7. mark — a grade
  8. branch — a division
  9. tear — from crying
  10. firm — steady
  11. mark — a trace
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. pit — a hole
  14. firm — a company
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. content — the amount
  20. pit — in a race
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. firm — decided
  24. tear — from crying

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