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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. club — for dancing
  4. cap — of ice
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. club — a group
  7. ball — a dance
  8. board — a committee
  9. ball — a great time
  10. last — to go on
  11. cap — a lid
  12. last — finally
  13. spring — the season
  14. club — for golf
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. spring — a coil
  18. last — final
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. spring — of water
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. cap — a hat
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. board — to get on

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