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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 116 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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. rush — hurry
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. track — a song
  5. board — to get on
  6. mug — a cup
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. mug — to rob
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. track — a path
  13. track — to keep track
  14. squash — to crush
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. fine — all right
  17. fine — high quality
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. squash — the sport
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. board — a committee
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. mug — a face
  24. straw — a straw man

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