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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 · ruler · content · straw · kid · cabinet · last · safe

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. pop — to visit
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. content — the amount
  7. last — to go on
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. pop — music
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. last — finally
  13. content — happy
  14. kid — child
  15. pop — soda
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. kid — to tease
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. last — final
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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