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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. stand — to bear
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. saw — the tool
  9. pop — to visit
  10. saw — the tool
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. pop — music
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. scale — size or range
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. roll — a list
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. pop — soda
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. scale — in music

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