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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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. board — to get on
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. drill — army training
  8. kid — to tease
  9. spring — of water
  10. board — a committee
  11. drill — the tool
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. spring — the season
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. spring — a coil
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. wake — a trail
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. drill — a practice

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