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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. 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. When are we going to ________________?
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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. land — to come down
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. present — there
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. land — a country
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. land — ground
  12. file — a document
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. present — a gift
  15. file — a line of people
  16. swing — to play on
  17. file — a tool
  18. present — the time now
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. swing — music
  21. ball — a dance
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. swing — in golf

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