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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ball — a great time
  3. mine — for digging
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. bat — the animal
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. mug — to rob
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. ball — a dance
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. vault — a safe
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. mug — a face
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. mug — a cup
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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