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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. game — a match
  3. roll — a list
  4. bound — obliged
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. foot — a measure
  7. drill — the tool
  8. season — of the year
  9. roll — a cake
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. drill — a practice
  12. drill — army training
  13. game — wild animals
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. bound — tied together
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bound — certain
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. season — in sport

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