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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.

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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: sharp · rash · suit · mark · ruler · content · clip · shower

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. content — happy
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. suit — in cards
  5. sharp — clever
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. rash — hasty
  9. content — the amount
  10. suit — clothes
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mark — a grade
  15. clip — to cut
  16. rash — a series
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. shower — rain
  19. clip — for paper
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. shower — to wash
  22. suit — to fit
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. clip — a video

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