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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  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 — for measuring
  2. ball — a great time
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. charge — a price
  5. rash — hasty
  6. charge — electricity
  7. firm — steady
  8. present — the time now
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. present — there
  11. firm — a company
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. present — a gift
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — to recline
  17. game — a match
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. firm — decided
  21. charge — in control
  22. game — wild animals
  23. rash — a series
  24. ball — a dance

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