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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. spring — a coil
  3. spring — the season
  4. wound — an injury
  5. ball — a great time
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. present — there
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. present — a gift
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. fine — all right
  12. press — newspapers
  13. press — a publisher
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. present — the time now
  16. craft — boats
  17. craft — a skill
  18. fine — high quality
  19. spring — of water
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. press — to push
  23. wound — an injury
  24. ball — a dance

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