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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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. rock — music
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. swing — to play on
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. row — to paddle
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. swing — in golf
  14. band — a ring
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. row — a line
  17. band — a music group
  18. chair — a leader
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. swing — music
  21. dip — to sink
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. rock — a stone

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