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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 124 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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. court — of law
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. craft — a skill
  6. tube — a container
  7. spell — a short time
  8. court — of a king
  9. craft — boats
  10. court — for sport
  11. tube — the underground
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. fine — high quality
  14. stand — to bear
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. spell — letters
  17. can — a tin
  18. spell — magic
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. fine — all right
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. can — to be able to
  23. can — a tin
  24. stand — on your feet

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