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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. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. last — to go on
  3. game — wild animals
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. can — a tin
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. can — to be able to
  8. net — for catching
  9. last — final
  10. shower — rain
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. shower — to wash
  15. can — a tin
  16. net — after costs
  17. last — finally
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. board — a committee
  20. board — to get on
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. game — a match
  24. net — in sport

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