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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. rest — what's left
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. press — to push
  6. pop — soda
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. spell — a short time
  9. spell — magic
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. pop — to visit
  12. rest — a break
  13. club — for golf
  14. club — a group
  15. pop — music
  16. spell — letters
  17. row — a line
  18. row — to paddle
  19. date — the fruit
  20. press — a publisher
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. press — newspapers
  23. club — for dancing
  24. rest — what's left

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