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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. board — to get on
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. clip — to cut
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. clip — for paper
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. board — a committee
  11. face — part of the head
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. rock — a stone
  15. clip — a video
  16. face — to point toward
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. prune — to trim
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. prune — to trim
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. face — to confront

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