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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. tear — to rip
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. suit — to fit
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. degree — temperature
  10. rush — hurry
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. tear — from crying
  15. lie — to recline
  16. tear — from crying
  17. suit — in cards
  18. suit — clothes
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. degree — an amount
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. degree — from a university
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. lie — an untruth

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