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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 got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. hand — in cards
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. ground — crushed
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. bear — the animal
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. deal — to handle
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. spring — the season
  13. spring — a coil
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. hand — help
  17. spring — of water
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. ground — a position
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. ground — the earth
  24. bear — the animal

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