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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: charge · track · ruler · bear · lash · nail · degree · content

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bear — the animal
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. track — a path
  6. track — a song
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. charge — a price
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. degree — from a university
  13. content — happy
  14. content — the amount
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. degree — temperature
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. charge — in control
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. degree — an amount
  22. charge — electricity
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. track — to keep track

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