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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. bulb — for light
  3. clip — to cut
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. cue — a signal
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. pitch — completely
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. fine — high quality
  15. cue — for pool
  16. cue — a hint
  17. content — happy
  18. mark — a grade
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. clip — a video
  22. clip — for paper
  23. fine — all right
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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