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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'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. board — a committee
  3. sharp — clever
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. board — to get on
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. tube — the underground
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. tube — a container
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. dip — to sink
  18. sharp — with an edge

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