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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. present — a gift
  3. game — a match
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. present — the time now
  6. chest — of your body
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. pop — music
  9. chest — a box
  10. object — to protest
  11. race — a contest
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bulb — for light
  15. object — a thing
  16. pop — soda
  17. object — an aim
  18. race — the arms race
  19. game — wild animals
  20. pop — to visit
  21. chest — of your body
  22. race — humankind
  23. present — there
  24. bulb — for light

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