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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. race — humankind
  9. bat — the animal
  10. band — a ring
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. race — the arms race
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. race — a contest
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. band — a music group
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. bat — in an idiom

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