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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. sharp — clever
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. ground — crushed
  5. suit — in cards
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. rule — government
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. ground — a position
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. hand — help
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. kick — in football
  17. hand — in cards
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. suit — clothes
  20. suit — to fit
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. ground — the earth
  23. rule — a law
  24. ruler — for measuring

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