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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 ball is in your ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. court — for sport
  3. court — of law
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. wind — moving air
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. rule — a law
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. game — wild animals
  14. rule — government
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. court — of a king
  18. wind — moving air
  19. charge — in control
  20. charge — a price
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. game — a match
  24. charge — electricity

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