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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. ball — a dance
  6. wound — an injury
  7. cold — not warm
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. bank — of a river
  12. pound — a weight
  13. ball — a great time
  14. cold — an illness
  15. bank — for money
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. bank — for money
  18. wound — an injury
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. ruler — a monarch

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