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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 120 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. That was a fun ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. game — a match
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. bank — for money
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. tube — a container
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. chair — a leader
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. bear — the animal
  13. pitch — completely
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. tube — the underground
  16. bank — for money
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. bear — the animal
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. game — wild animals
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. dip — to sink
  24. bank — of a river

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