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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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. club — a group
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. race — a contest
  5. race — humankind
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. face — to point toward
  8. club — for dancing
  9. bound — obliged
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. face — part of the head
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. club — for golf
  16. face — to confront
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. content — the amount
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bound — certain
  24. race — the arms race

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