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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. pit — in a race
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. cold — not warm
  9. cue — for pool
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. cue — a hint
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. court — of law
  14. wake — a trail
  15. court — of a king
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. cold — an illness
  19. court — for sport
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. cue — a signal
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. pit — a hole
  24. mouse — 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