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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bound — obliged
  3. court — of a king
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bound — certain
  7. stand — to bear
  8. clip — a video
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bound — tied together
  11. clip — for paper
  12. bass — low music
  13. court — of law
  14. pit — a hole
  15. bass — the fish
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. rush — hurry
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. court — for sport
  20. clip — to cut
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. pit — in a race
  24. rush — a thrill

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