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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. cell — a phone
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. vault — a safe
  7. cell — in biology
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. shower — to wash
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. wind — moving air
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. wind — moving air
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. shower — rain
  19. toast — bread
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. season — in sport
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. season — of the year
  24. wake — a trail

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