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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 120 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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. pass — a permit
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. lie — to recline
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. shower — to wash
  11. game — a match
  12. staff — employees
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. shower — rain
  15. game — wild animals
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. wax — to grow
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — a stick
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. pass — to spend time

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