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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. rush — hurry
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. vault — a safe
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. court — of law
  11. court — for sport
  12. root — the cause
  13. hand — in cards
  14. root — of a word
  15. court — of a king
  16. root — of a plant
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. row — to paddle
  19. hand — help
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. wind — moving air
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. row — a line
  24. wind — moving air

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