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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: ruler · toast · tube · bear · ball · jam · content · row

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  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. row — to paddle
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ball — a great time
  7. toast — bread
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. bear — the animal
  10. tube — the underground
  11. content — happy
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. tube — a container
  14. ball — a dance
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. row — a line
  18. bear — the animal
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. content — the amount
  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