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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. game — wild animals
  3. net — in sport
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. suit — in cards
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. suit — clothes
  10. plane — a tool
  11. suit — to fit
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. game — a match
  20. net — for catching
  21. rush — hurry
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. net — after costs
  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