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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — a break
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. land — a country
  5. ball — a great time
  6. rest — what's left
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. rock — music
  11. clip — for paper
  12. land — to come down
  13. ball — a dance
  14. clip — a video
  15. firm — decided
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. land — ground
  20. firm — steady
  21. clip — to cut
  22. rush — hurry
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. firm — a company

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