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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 116 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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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: trunk · tear · bass · firm · mouse · ruler · stick · content

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. content — the amount
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. firm — a company
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. tear — to rip
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. bass — low music
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. content — happy
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. tear — from crying
  17. firm — decided
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. firm — steady
  20. tear — from crying
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. bass — the fish
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. trunk — of a car

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