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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 120 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. That was a fun ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. game — a match
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. saw — the tool
  8. kid — to tease
  9. mark — a trace
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. saw — the tool
  12. game — wild animals
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. plane — a tool
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. mark — a grade
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. kid — child
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. mouse — for a computer

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