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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. game — wild animals
  3. spring — a coil
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. game — a match
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. perch — the fish
  10. board — to get on
  11. spring — of water
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. race — the arms race
  14. spring — the season
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. race — humankind
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. race — a contest
  22. board — a committee
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. kick — in football

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