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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. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  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. last — to go on
  3. last — final
  4. charge — electricity
  5. season — of the year
  6. squash — the sport
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. last — finally
  10. cap — a lid
  11. squash — to crush
  12. charge — in control
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. current — happening now
  15. charge — a price
  16. cap — a hat
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. current — of water
  19. kick — in football
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. cap — of ice
  22. current — electric
  23. season — in sport
  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