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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. press — newspapers
  3. firm — a company
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. ball — a dance
  8. ball — a great time
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. firm — decided
  13. content — happy
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. press — to push
  16. craft — a skill
  17. plane — a tool
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. firm — steady
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. press — a publisher
  22. craft — boats
  23. plane — in geometry
  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