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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. squash — the sport
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. wake — a trail
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. court — of a king
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. lie — to recline
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. court — of law
  17. rest — what's left
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. court — for sport
  21. row — a line
  22. rest — a break
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. squash — to crush

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