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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. content — happy
  3. scale — size or range
  4. track — a path
  5. ground — crushed
  6. suit — clothes
  7. ground — the earth
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. suit — in cards
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ground — a position
  12. track — to keep track
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. scale — in music
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. content — the amount
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. track — a song
  20. suit — to fit
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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