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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mark — a grade
  7. board — to get on
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. shower — to wash
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. board — a committee
  12. content — happy
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. shower — rain
  19. foot — a measure
  20. tube — the underground
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. tube — a container
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. foot — part of the body

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