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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. rock — music
  3. club — a group
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. game — a match
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. club — for dancing
  9. kid — to tease
  10. kid — child
  11. game — wild animals
  12. bass — the fish
  13. rock — a stone
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. club — for golf
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. pitch — completely
  21. bass — low music
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. pitch — a sports field

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