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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. squash — the sport
  4. track — to keep track
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. kid — to tease
  7. kid — child
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. charge — in control
  10. squash — to crush
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. wake — a trail
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. branch — a division
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. track — a song
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. charge — electricity
  23. charge — a price
  24. track — a path

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