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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. content — happy
  3. firm — steady
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. content — the amount
  7. cap — of ice
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. court — of law
  11. firm — decided
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. court — of a king
  16. cap — a lid
  17. fall — the season
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. cap — a hat
  20. fall — to drop
  21. court — for sport
  22. firm — a company
  23. fall — to drop
  24. nail — for a hammer

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