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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. pass — a permit
  5. fall — to drop
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. fall — to drop
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. club — for golf
  10. club — a group
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. present — there
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. ground — the earth
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. fall — the season
  19. present — a gift
  20. ground — crushed
  21. present — the time now
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. ground — a position

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