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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. content — happy
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. mark — a trace
  9. bear — the animal
  10. game — wild animals
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. press — newspapers
  15. game — a match
  16. press — to push
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. content — the amount
  19. mark — a grade
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. press — a publisher
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. game — a kind of play

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