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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.

Make a worksheet

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: key · fan · hide · rash · content · present · ruler · saw

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. saw — the tool
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. key — in music
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. key — the most important part
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. key — for a lock
  10. content — the amount
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. present — the time now
  13. present — a gift
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. rash — a series
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. content — happy
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. present — there

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