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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. object — to protest
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. rest — what's left
  7. toast — bread
  8. rest — what's left
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. game — a match
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. object — a thing
  18. board — to get on
  19. board — a committee
  20. game — wild animals
  21. object — an aim
  22. sharp — clever
  23. foot — a measure
  24. sharp — exactly

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