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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: cap · can · content · wound · toast · rash · ruler · staff

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. cap — a hat
  3. content — the amount
  4. rash — a series
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. content — happy
  7. can — a tin
  8. staff — employees
  9. can — a tin
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. can — to be able to
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. wound — an injury
  14. cap — of ice
  15. rash — hasty
  16. staff — a stick
  17. toast — bread
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. staff — employees
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. cap — a lid
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. ruler — for measuring

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