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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. rule — government
  4. wound — an injury
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. spell — letters
  9. foot — a measure
  10. spell — a short time
  11. spell — magic
  12. wound — an injury
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. race — humankind
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. race — a contest
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. rule — a law
  21. race — the arms race
  22. roll — a cake
  23. roll — a list
  24. roll — on a roll

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