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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. board — a committee
  6. can — to be able to
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. can — a tin
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. scale — size or range
  12. can — a tin
  13. saw — the tool
  14. board — to get on
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. wax — to grow
  17. scale — in music
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. saw — the tool
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. kick — with a leg

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