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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. wound — an injury
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. saw — the tool
  9. rule — a law
  10. club — for golf
  11. saw — the tool
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. club — a group
  15. wound — an injury
  16. hand — help
  17. pitch — completely
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. club — for dancing
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. rule — government
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. hand — part of the body

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