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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 120 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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. ground — crushed
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ground — the earth
  7. bass — the fish
  8. rush — hurry
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. craft — a skill
  13. ground — a position
  14. craft — boats
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. fall — to drop
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bass — low music
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. fall — the season
  23. fall — to drop
  24. rush — a thrill

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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