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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. rush — hurry
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. cold — an illness
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. craft — boats
  11. current — happening now
  12. craft — a skill
  13. ball — a dance
  14. current — electric
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. ball — a great time
  19. cold — not warm
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. current — of water
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. craft — a handicraft

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