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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. cue — a signal
  3. file — a line of people
  4. ground — the earth
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. ball — a great time
  8. file — a tool
  9. file — a document
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. object — an aim
  12. object — a thing
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. ball — a dance
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. cue — for pool
  18. ground — a position
  19. hand — help
  20. cue — a hint
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. ground — crushed
  23. object — to protest
  24. hand — in cards

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