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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. track — a path
  5. spring — a coil
  6. spring — of water
  7. spring — the season
  8. rule — a law
  9. track — to keep track
  10. charge — a price
  11. track — a song
  12. wound — an injury
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. rule — government
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. charge — electricity
  18. charge — in control
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. wound — an injury
  24. jam — in traffic

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