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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. cap — a lid
  3. spring — of water
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. rock — music
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. spring — the season
  12. spring — a coil
  13. key — the most important part
  14. key — in music
  15. rock — a stone
  16. cap — of ice
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. cap — a hat
  19. key — for a lock
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. hand — in cards
  23. hand — help
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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