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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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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: squash · can · scale · ground · pit · wind · content · ruler

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. scale — size or range
  3. content — the amount
  4. can — a tin
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. squash — the sport
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. pit — a hole
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. ground — the earth
  11. squash — to crush
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. ground — a position
  15. wind — moving air
  16. wind — moving air
  17. content — happy
  18. ground — crushed
  19. pit — in a race
  20. can — a tin
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. scale — in music
  23. can — to be able to
  24. ruler — a monarch

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