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

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. ground — crushed
  3. ground — the earth
  4. cue — for pool
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pit — a hole
  7. fine — high quality
  8. toast — bread
  9. ground — a position
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. pit — in a race
  14. cue — a hint
  15. fine — all right
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. cue — a signal
  18. toast — the most admired

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