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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. saw — the tool
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. game — wild animals
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. kid — child
  8. suit — to fit
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. mark — a trace
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. game — a match
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. saw — the tool
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. foot — a measure
  22. mark — a grade
  23. suit — in cards
  24. kid — to tease

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