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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ground — crushed
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. capital — money
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. firm — steady
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. race — a contest
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. firm — a company
  13. capital — a city
  14. content — the amount
  15. lean — to bend
  16. content — happy
  17. firm — decided
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. ground — a position
  20. ground — the earth
  21. lean — thin
  22. race — the arms race
  23. race — humankind
  24. ruler — a monarch

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