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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 116 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: pop · bank · content · ruler · fan · mark · face · stick

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. pop — soda
  3. face — to confront
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. face — part of the head
  6. bank — for money
  7. pop — music
  8. pop — to visit
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. mark — a trace
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. face — to point toward
  15. bank — of a river
  16. content — the amount
  17. content — happy
  18. bank — for money
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. mark — a grade
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. fan — a supporter

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