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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 124 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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. roll — a list
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. content — happy
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. dip — to sink
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. file — a tool
  13. board — to get on
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. board — a committee
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. file — a document
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. roll — a cake
  23. content — the amount
  24. file — a line of people

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