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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. fine — high quality
  5. game — a match
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. game — wild animals
  8. court — of a king
  9. bear — the animal
  10. court — of law
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bear — the animal
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. plane — a tool
  17. court — for sport
  18. game — a kind of play

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