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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 120 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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. club — for golf
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. club — a group
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. rule — government
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. rule — a law
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. club — for dancing
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. wound — an injury
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. wound — an injury
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. bat — the animal
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. pitch — completely
  24. safe — a strongbox

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