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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 120 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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. content — the amount
  5. rock — music
  6. object — a thing
  7. hand — help
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. content — happy
  10. rock — a stone
  11. object — an aim
  12. net — for catching
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. hand — in cards
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. net — in sport
  18. net — after costs
  19. pass — a permit
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. object — to protest
  22. land — to come down
  23. land — ground
  24. land — a country

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