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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. bat — the animal
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. pop — soda
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. saw — the tool
  17. rest — a break
  18. wound — an injury
  19. wound — an injury
  20. rest — what's left
  21. deal — to handle
  22. saw — the tool
  23. pop — to visit
  24. pop — 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