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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. court — of law
  3. shower — to wash
  4. object — to protest
  5. cue — a hint
  6. clip — for paper
  7. object — a thing
  8. shower — rain
  9. court — of a king
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. object — an aim
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. sharp — clever
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. bear — the animal
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. clip — a video
  19. bear — the animal
  20. court — for sport
  21. cue — a signal
  22. clip — to cut
  23. cue — for pool
  24. bear — to put up with

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