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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. cold — an illness
  3. rash — hasty
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. shower — rain
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. cold — not warm
  9. rock — music
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rash — a series
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. pitch — completely
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. shower — to wash
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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