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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. cap — of ice
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. roll — a list
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. suit — to fit
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. suit — in cards
  13. cap — a hat
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. bass — low music
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. roll — a cake
  18. suit — clothes
  19. bass — the fish
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. cap — a lid
  24. hide — to keep secret

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