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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'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. firm — steady
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. game — wild animals
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. firm — decided
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. mate — to breed
  10. swing — music
  11. game — a match
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. shower — rain
  15. mate — a friend
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. swing — to play on
  18. mate — a partner
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. firm — a company
  22. swing — in golf
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. shower — to wash

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