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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: ruler · toast · snap · bay · lean · content · dip · leaves

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. snap — to click
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. content — the amount
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. dip — to sink
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. content — happy
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. lean — thin
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. toast — bread
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. lean — to bend
  24. content — videos and posts

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