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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. row — to paddle
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. deal — to handle
  5. stand — to bear
  6. game — wild animals
  7. game — a match
  8. file — a line of people
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. charge — a price
  12. charge — electricity
  13. file — a tool
  14. charge — in control
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. row — a line
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. file — a document
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. row — a quarrel

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