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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: rock · fine · content · board · spell · ruler · cap · safe

  1. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. spell — magic
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. rock — music
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. cap — a hat
  7. cap — of ice
  8. board — a committee
  9. fine — all right
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. content — the amount
  12. fine — high quality
  13. spell — letters
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. rock — a stone
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. spell — a short time
  18. board — to get on
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. cap — a lid
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. ruler — for measuring

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