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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.

Make a worksheet

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: chair · content · object · ground · ruler · face · bowl · suit

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. object — an aim
  4. object — to protest
  5. face — to confront
  6. content — the amount
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. ground — a position
  9. face — to point toward
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. suit — clothes
  12. ground — the earth
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. suit — in cards
  19. ground — crushed
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. object — a thing
  22. content — happy
  23. face — part of the head
  24. chair — a leader

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