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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. rash — hasty
  6. cell — in biology
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. spell — letters
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. pop — soda
  11. pop — to visit
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. rash — a series
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. pop — music
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. game — a match
  21. game — wild animals
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. cell — a phone
  24. spell — magic

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