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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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. can — a tin
  8. board — a committee
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. date — the fruit
  11. kid — child
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. board — to get on
  14. can — to be able to
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — employees
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. can — a tin
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. staff — a stick
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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