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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. spring — the season
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. chest — of your body
  5. board — to get on
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. row — a line
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. board — a committee
  12. ground — crushed
  13. spring — of water
  14. chest — a box
  15. chest — of your body
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. ground — the earth
  20. ground — a position
  21. row — to paddle
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. spring — a coil

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