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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. game — a match
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. charge — electricity
  5. rest — a break
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ball — a dance
  11. game — wild animals
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. tear — from crying
  15. rest — what's left
  16. deal — to handle
  17. tear — to rip
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. charge — in control
  20. tear — from crying
  21. ball — a great time
  22. charge — a price
  23. rest — what's left
  24. game — a kind of play

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