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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 120 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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. track — a path
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. net — after costs
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. track — to keep track
  10. net — in sport
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. fine — high quality
  13. saw — the tool
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. saw — the tool
  16. content — happy
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. track — a song
  19. content — the amount
  20. net — for catching
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. fine — all right
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. fine — a penalty

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