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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. wound — an injury
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. rock — music
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. chip — for betting
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. chip — to eat
  15. wake — a trail
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. last — final
  19. wound — an injury
  20. content — happy
  21. rock — a stone
  22. last — finally
  23. last — to go on
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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