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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 smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ball — a great time
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. board — to get on
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. cap — a hat
  10. cell — in biology
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. file — a document
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. cap — a lid
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. cell — a phone
  17. file — a tool
  18. dip — to sink
  19. stand — to bear
  20. file — a line of people
  21. board — a committee
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. cap — of ice
  24. cell — in a prison

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