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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. board — to get on
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. tube — the underground
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. squash — the sport
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. rock — music
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. rock — a stone
  18. row — a line
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. row — to paddle
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. board — a committee
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. squash — to crush

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