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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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. game — wild animals
  3. cue — a signal
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. shower — to wash
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. stock — shares
  9. shower — rain
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. plane — a tool
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. stock — goods
  16. cue — for pool
  17. game — a match
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. wake — a trail
  22. cue — a hint
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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