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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. game — a match
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. shower — rain
  6. court — of a king
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. game — wild animals
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. court — for sport
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. rock — music
  15. court — of law
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. wound — an injury
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. press — newspapers
  20. rock — a stone
  21. press — to push
  22. wound — an injury
  23. press — a publisher
  24. shower — to wash

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