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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.

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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. branch — a division
  3. squash — the sport
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. kick — in football
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. squash — to crush
  9. rock — music
  10. land — a country
  11. land — ground
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. scale — size or range
  15. scale — in music
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. land — to come down
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. sharp — clever
  24. rock — a stone

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