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

Word bank: content · ruler · firm · game · fall · wake · pit · bay

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. content — the amount
  4. game — a match
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. fall — to drop
  7. pit — in a race
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. pit — a hole
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. content — happy
  14. fall — the season
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. wake — a trail
  17. game — wild animals
  18. fall — to drop
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. firm — decided
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. firm — a company
  24. firm — steady

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