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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. 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 — for measuring
  2. ground — the earth
  3. file — a tool
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. game — a match
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. file — a document
  10. game — wild animals
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. lean — to bend
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. ground — a position
  19. lean — thin
  20. ground — crushed
  21. file — a line of people
  22. wake — a trail
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. wake — before a funeral

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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