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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. squash — the sport
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. clip — a video
  6. pop — soda
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. fine — all right
  9. clip — to cut
  10. wound — an injury
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. fine — high quality
  13. clip — for paper
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. pop — music
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. pop — to visit
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. wound — an injury
  24. squash — to crush

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