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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ground — a position
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — a break
  8. rest — what's left
  9. spell — a short time
  10. rash — a series
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. ground — crushed
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. ground — the earth
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. spell — magic
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. spell — letters
  22. rush — hurry
  23. rash — hasty
  24. ruler — for measuring

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