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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 116 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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. game — wild animals
  4. cap — a lid
  5. spell — letters
  6. last — finally
  7. last — to go on
  8. rash — hasty
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. game — a match
  11. charge — a price
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. spell — magic
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. cap — a hat
  17. cap — of ice
  18. charge — electricity
  19. rash — a series
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. last — final
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. spell — a short time
  24. charge — in control

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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