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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. kid — to tease
  4. club — for dancing
  5. mug — a cup
  6. mug — a face
  7. race — a contest
  8. season — in sport
  9. rush — hurry
  10. club — a group
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. race — humankind
  14. season — of the year
  15. mug — to rob
  16. club — for golf
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. fork — in a road
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. race — the arms race
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. kid — child
  24. ruler — for measuring

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