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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. charge — in control
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. capital — money
  5. ball — a great time
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. charge — a price
  8. capital — a city
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. charge — electricity
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. ball — a dance
  14. pit — in a race
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. pit — a hole

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