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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. 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. pitch — completely
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. board — a committee
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. board — to get on
  10. capital — money
  11. game — wild animals
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. game — a match
  15. capital — a city
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. 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