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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 120 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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. board — a committee
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. rush — hurry
  5. clip — a video
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. charge — in control
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. board — to get on
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. charge — a price
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. clip — for paper
  21. charge — electricity
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. clip — to cut
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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