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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · foot · scale · spell · dip · band · ruler · lash

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. content — the amount
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. content — happy
  6. dip — to sink
  7. spell — a short time
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. scale — in music
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. spell — magic
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. band — a ring
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. scale — size or range
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. foot — a measure
  20. spell — letters
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. band — a music group
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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