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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  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. tube — the underground
  2. bound — obliged
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. game — a match
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. craft — a skill
  11. game — wild animals
  12. tube — a container
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bound — tied together
  17. squash — to crush
  18. squash — the sport
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bound — certain
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. craft — boats
  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