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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. game — a match
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. bore — to tire
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. game — wild animals
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. spell — a short time
  16. spell — magic
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. roll — a cake
  20. bore — to drill
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. roll — a list
  23. spell — letters
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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