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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. fork — in a road
  4. rest — a break
  5. content — happy
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. rest — what's left
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. last — finally
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. stand — to bear
  13. ball — a dance
  14. ball — a great time
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. mine — for digging
  17. content — the amount
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. rest — what's left
  21. last — to go on
  22. last — final
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. ruler — for measuring

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