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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. drill — a practice
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. board — to get on
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. spell — a short time
  13. court — of a king
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. chair — a leader
  17. rush — hurry
  18. court — of law
  19. drill — the tool
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. spell — letters
  22. spell — magic
  23. board — a committee
  24. court — for sport

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