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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. ball — a dance
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. rule — government
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. row — to paddle
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. row — a line
  14. ball — a great time
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rule — a law
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. leaves — to go away

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