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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. game — wild animals
  5. present — there
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. lean — thin
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. lie — to recline
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. bass — the fish
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bass — low music
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. pass — a permit
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. present — the time now
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. lean — to bend
  24. game — a match

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