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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. game — wild animals
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. ball — a dance
  6. can — a tin
  7. staff — a stick
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. game — a match
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. staff — employees
  12. season — of the year
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. scale — size or range
  15. roll — a cake
  16. roll — a list
  17. can — a tin
  18. season — in sport
  19. can — to be able to
  20. staff — employees
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. scale — in music
  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