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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. pitch — completely
  4. craft — boats
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. object — an aim
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. scale — size or range
  9. object — a thing
  10. scale — in music
  11. cap — of ice
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. cap — a lid
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. cap — a hat
  20. craft — a skill
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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