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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 120 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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. pit — in a race
  11. wax — to grow
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. lean — thin
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. spring — of water
  16. stock — shares
  17. lean — to bend
  18. spring — a coil
  19. spring — the season
  20. stock — goods
  21. lie — to recline
  22. pit — a hole
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. arm — a part of something

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