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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. season — in sport
  3. wound — an injury
  4. current — electric
  5. game — wild animals
  6. current — happening now
  7. prune — to trim
  8. mate — a friend
  9. drill — the tool
  10. mate — a partner
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. drill — army training
  13. drill — a practice
  14. wound — an injury
  15. mate — to breed
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. current — of water
  18. season — of the year
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. game — a match
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. prune — to trim
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. game — a kind of play

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