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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. game — wild animals
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. game — a match
  5. lie — to recline
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. tube — a container
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. tube — the underground
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. lash — to lash out

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