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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. kid — child
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. rush — hurry
  6. fall — to drop
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. tube — the underground
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. fall — the season
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. lie — to recline
  19. tube — a container
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. kid — to tease
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. fall — to drop

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