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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 120 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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. bass — low music
  3. suit — clothes
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. object — a thing
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. game — wild animals
  9. charge — a price
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. suit — in cards
  12. stand — to bear
  13. game — a match
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. object — to protest
  17. bass — the fish
  18. suit — to fit
  19. mine — for digging
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. charge — in control
  22. object — an aim
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. charge — electricity

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