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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ground — a position
  5. board — a committee
  6. craft — a skill
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. spell — a short time
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. spell — magic
  12. craft — boats
  13. rest — a break
  14. board — to get on
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. ground — crushed
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rest — what's left
  23. ground — the earth
  24. mouse — the animal

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