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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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Word bank
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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: content · roll · capital · bear · swing · ruler · lean · safe

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. swing — music
  3. content — happy
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. capital — money
  8. swing — in golf
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. swing — to play on
  12. capital — a city
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. roll — a cake
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. lean — to bend
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. bear — the animal
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. bear — the animal
  21. lean — thin
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. content — the amount
  24. roll — a list

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