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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. last — finally
  3. wound — an injury
  4. cap — of ice
  5. last — to go on
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. rash — hasty
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. wound — an injury
  12. cap — a lid
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. board — a committee
  16. last — final
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. cap — a hat
  19. pitch — completely
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. board — to get on
  24. rash — on the skin

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