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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. club — for golf
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. vault — a safe
  7. stock — shares
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. wound — an injury
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. club — for dancing
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. stock — goods
  19. club — a group
  20. game — a match
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. game — wild animals
  23. plane — a tool
  24. wound — an injury

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