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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. suit — clothes
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. game — wild animals
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. pound — a weight
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. game — a match
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. suit — in cards
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. row — to paddle
  20. suit — to fit
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. stand — to bear
  24. row — a line

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