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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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. mine — for digging
  6. net — in sport
  7. cue — a hint
  8. ground — a position
  9. branch — a division
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. cue — for pool
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. court — for sport
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. net — for catching
  20. court — of a king
  21. cue — a signal
  22. court — of law
  23. ground — crushed
  24. net — after costs

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