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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. game — wild animals
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. firm — a company
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. band — a music group
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. rule — government
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. date — the fruit
  17. firm — decided
  18. band — a ring
  19. foot — a measure
  20. rule — a law
  21. firm — steady
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. rule — to rule out

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