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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 116 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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. ball — a great time
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. tube — a container
  10. lie — to recline
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. pass — a permit
  13. court — of a king
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. court — for sport
  16. court — of law
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. squash — the sport
  19. ball — a dance
  20. squash — to crush
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. tube — the underground
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. ruler — for measuring

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