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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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. spring — a coil
  8. spring — of water
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. spring — the season
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. wax — to grow
  14. mine — for digging
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. game — a match
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. game — wild animals

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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