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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: saw · wound · bowl · rule · ruler · bay · squash · pop

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. squash — the sport
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. pop — to visit
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. wound — an injury
  7. squash — to crush
  8. pop — music
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. wound — an injury
  11. pop — soda
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. saw — the tool
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. saw — the tool
  18. rule — government
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. rule — a law
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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