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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. club — a group
  3. content — the amount
  4. cap — a hat
  5. pass — a permit
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. present — the time now
  9. fall — to drop
  10. fork — in a road
  11. fall — to drop
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. content — happy
  14. cap — a lid
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. club — for golf
  17. club — for dancing
  18. fall — the season
  19. present — a gift
  20. cap — of ice
  21. present — there
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. ruler — for measuring

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