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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: content · capital · kick · pop · roll · track · saw · ruler

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. pop — to visit
  3. roll — a cake
  4. pop — soda
  5. capital — a city
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. content — the amount
  8. track — to keep track
  9. saw — the tool
  10. pop — music
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. kick — in football
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. track — a song
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. roll — a list
  18. saw — the tool
  19. track — a path
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. capital — money
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. content — happy
  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