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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 116 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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. present — there
  3. row — a line
  4. row — to paddle
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. present — a gift
  8. key — for a lock
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. key — the most important part
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. present — the time now
  13. mine — for digging
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. wake — a trail
  17. rush — hurry
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. key — in music
  22. ball — a dance
  23. ball — a great time
  24. mine — an explosive

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