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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. can — to be able to
  5. spell — magic
  6. bank — for money
  7. spell — letters
  8. cue — a hint
  9. court — for sport
  10. cue — a signal
  11. court — of law
  12. can — a tin
  13. spell — a short time
  14. can — a tin
  15. bank — for money
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. court — of a king
  18. cue — for pool
  19. bank — of a river
  20. spring — the season
  21. spring — of water
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. spring — a coil

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