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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. court — of a king
  4. rush — hurry
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. rash — hasty
  10. court — of law
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. key — in music
  13. lie — to recline
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. court — for sport
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. key — the most important part
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. key — for a lock
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. rash — a series

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