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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. last — finally
  3. face — to confront
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. suit — to fit
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. wind — moving air
  10. capital — money
  11. bass — low music
  12. face — to point toward
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. last — final
  15. wind — moving air
  16. suit — clothes
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. suit — in cards
  20. last — to go on
  21. capital — a city
  22. face — part of the head
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. bass — the fish

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