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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 124 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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. roll — a cake
  4. saw — the tool
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. capital — money
  9. mark — a trace
  10. squash — the sport
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. squash — to crush
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. capital — a city
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. saw — the tool
  20. roll — a list
  21. pitch — completely
  22. mark — a grade
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. ruler — a monarch

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