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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. club — for dancing
  3. squash — the sport
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. stand — to bear
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. suit — to fit
  9. club — a group
  10. rock — a stone
  11. squash — to crush
  12. suit — in cards
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. hand — help
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. rock — music
  17. suit — clothes
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. club — for golf
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. hand — in cards
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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