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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bore · rest · cabinet · content · present · ruler

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. present — there
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. rest — what's left
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bore — to tire
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. rest — what's left
  12. content — happy
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. present — the time now
  15. rest — a break
  16. present — a gift
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. bore — to drill

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