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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
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: ruler · mug · tube · content · rock · track · wind · ball

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. rock — a stone
  3. track — a song
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. tube — a container
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. track — to keep track
  10. rock — music
  11. tube — the underground
  12. content — happy
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. mug — a cup
  15. wind — moving air
  16. mug — to rob
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. mug — a face
  19. track — a path
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. wind — moving air
  22. ball — a great time
  23. ball — a dance
  24. content — the amount

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