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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. rash — a series
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bear — the animal
  8. snap — to click
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — the tool
  11. drill — army training
  12. rash — hasty
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. drill — the tool
  16. drill — a practice
  17. toast — bread
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. bear — the animal
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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