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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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. ball — a dance
  4. ball — a great time
  5. board — to get on
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. file — a line of people
  9. craft — boats
  10. lie — to recline
  11. tube — the underground
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. board — a committee
  14. tube — a container
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. file — a document
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. craft — a skill
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. stand — to bear
  22. file — a tool
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. ruler — for measuring

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