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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ball — a dance
  3. season — in sport
  4. firm — steady
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. firm — decided
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. tube — a container
  10. swing — in golf
  11. tube — the underground
  12. ball — a great time
  13. vault — a safe
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. swing — to play on
  16. swing — music
  17. season — of the year
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. firm — a company
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. ruler — a monarch

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