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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. fall — the season
  4. spell — magic
  5. scale — in music
  6. bound — obliged
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. mate — to breed
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. scale — size or range
  11. fall — to drop
  12. spell — letters
  13. vault — a safe
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. hand — help
  16. fall — to drop
  17. bound — certain
  18. bound — tied together
  19. mate — a friend
  20. hand — in cards
  21. spell — a short time
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. mate — a partner
  24. scale — for weighing

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