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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
468
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: can · bat · ruler · pop · content · cap · toast · mouse

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. content — the amount
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. toast — bread
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. can — a tin
  8. cap — a lid
  9. can — a tin
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. pop — soda
  13. can — to be able to
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. content — happy
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. cap — of ice
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. pop — to visit
  22. pop — music
  23. cap — a hat
  24. bat — the animal

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