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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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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. ball — a great time
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. snap — to click
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. club — for dancing
  13. club — a group
  14. ball — a dance
  15. club — for golf
  16. wake — a trail
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. wake — before a funeral

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