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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. staff — employees
  5. staff — employees
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. tube — the underground
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. rush — hurry
  11. staff — a stick
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. tube — a container
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. scale — in music
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. mine — for digging
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. scale — size or range
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. bay — to keep at bay

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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