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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. tube — a container
  4. can — a tin
  5. tube — the underground
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ball — a great time
  12. shower — rain
  13. rule — a law
  14. press — newspapers
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. rule — government
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — to be able to
  19. press — to push
  20. shower — to wash
  21. press — a publisher
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. trunk — of a car

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