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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 120 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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. squash — the sport
  4. last — to go on
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. key — in music
  9. key — for a lock
  10. squash — to crush
  11. last — final
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. key — the most important part
  17. ball — a great time
  18. bat — the animal
  19. last — finally
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. ball — a dance
  24. ruler — a monarch

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