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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. foot — a measure
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mate — a partner
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. drill — army training
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. suit — in cards
  11. hand — in cards
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. drill — the tool
  16. mate — a friend
  17. suit — clothes
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. drill — a practice
  20. suit — to fit
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. mate — to breed
  24. racket — for tennis

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