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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ground — crushed
  3. ground — a position
  4. suit — clothes
  5. bass — low music
  6. bass — the fish
  7. spell — letters
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. cap — of ice
  10. suit — in cards
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. stand — to bear
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. cap — a lid
  15. cold — not warm
  16. cap — a hat
  17. cold — an illness
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. spell — a short time
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. suit — to fit
  22. ground — the earth
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. spell — magic

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