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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. swing — in golf
  3. shower — to wash
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. swing — to play on
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. press — newspapers
  8. track — a song
  9. shower — rain
  10. track — to keep track
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. stand — to bear
  15. deal — to handle
  16. track — a path
  17. cold — an illness
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. swing — music
  20. cold — not warm
  21. press — to push
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. press — a publisher
  24. stand — on your feet

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