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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. bat — the animal
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. track — a path
  5. track — to keep track
  6. rash — hasty
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. deal — to handle
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. track — a song
  14. rash — a series
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. stand — to bear
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. rash — on the skin

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