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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. cap — a lid
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. last — finally
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. last — to go on
  13. ball — a great time
  14. ball — a dance
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. snap — to click
  18. last — final
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. cap — of ice
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. cap — a hat

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