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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. scale — size or range
  5. land — to come down
  6. mate — a partner
  7. pass — a permit
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. squash — to crush
  10. mate — to breed
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. land — ground
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. mate — a friend
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. squash — the sport
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. scale — in music
  24. land — a country

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