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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 120 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: kid · bay · spring · content · arm · ruler · board · pop

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. pop — to visit
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. pop — music
  8. spring — a coil
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. spring — of water
  11. spring — the season
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. board — a committee
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. kid — child
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. content — the amount
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. board — to get on
  22. kid — to tease
  23. content — happy
  24. pop — soda

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