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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bound — obliged
  5. shower — rain
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. net — for catching
  9. shower — to wash
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. ball — a dance
  13. spring — of water
  14. cue — a hint
  15. cue — a signal
  16. bound — certain
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. bound — tied together
  19. ball — a great time
  20. net — after costs
  21. net — in sport
  22. spring — the season
  23. cue — for pool
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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