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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. firm — a company
  3. spell — a short time
  4. board — a committee
  5. kick — in football
  6. cold — not warm
  7. cold — an illness
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. pop — soda
  10. pop — music
  11. spell — letters
  12. firm — steady
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. spell — magic
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. pop — to visit
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. board — to get on
  22. firm — decided
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. kick — with a leg

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