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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. cold — an illness
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. charge — in control
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. current — of water
  8. charge — electricity
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bear — the animal
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. wind — moving air
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. bear — the animal
  15. charge — a price
  16. cold — not warm
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. wind — moving air
  19. face — to confront
  20. current — happening now
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. face — part of the head
  23. current — electric
  24. arm — part of the body

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