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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: content · rest · pop · fine · bear · chip · ruler · bat

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rest — a break
  6. chip — for betting
  7. fine — all right
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. pop — to visit
  10. pop — soda
  11. bear — the animal
  12. content — happy
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. chip — to eat
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. pop — music
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. bat — the animal
  19. content — the amount
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. fine — high quality
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. rest — what's left

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