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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. can — to be able to
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. lean — to bend
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. squash — to crush
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. pop — music
  12. pop — soda
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. lean — thin
  17. can — a tin
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. can — a tin
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. pop — to visit
  22. squash — the sport
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. mine — for digging

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