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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 120 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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. rash — a series
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. craft — a skill
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. charge — a price
  7. object — a thing
  8. craft — boats
  9. chest — of your body
  10. rest — what's left
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. charge — in control
  13. charge — electricity
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. rest — a break
  16. object — an aim
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. rash — hasty
  21. rest — what's left
  22. chest — a box
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. chest — of your body

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