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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. track — a song
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. track — a path
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. chip — for betting
  9. drill — the tool
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. drill — a practice
  14. rush — hurry
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. drill — army training
  17. track — to keep track
  18. stem — to come from
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. chip — to eat
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. bowl — to roll

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