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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. charge — electricity
  4. charge — a price
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. charge — in control
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. track — a song
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bear — the animal
  12. track — to keep track
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. board — a committee
  16. kick — in football
  17. board — to get on
  18. season — in sport
  19. track — a path
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. season — of the year
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. bear — the animal
  24. rush — hurry

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