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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  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. ball — a round shape
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. mine — for digging
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. suit — in cards
  7. drill — the tool
  8. drill — army training
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. drill — a practice
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. ball — a dance
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. suit — clothes
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. rash — hasty
  20. suit — to fit
  21. rash — a series
  22. ball — a great time
  23. date — the fruit
  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