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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. perch — the fish
  3. board — a committee
  4. face — to point toward
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bass — the fish
  7. cap — a lid
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. object — to protest
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. cap — of ice
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. board — to get on
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. bass — low music
  19. face — to confront
  20. object — an aim
  21. face — part of the head
  22. object — a thing
  23. cap — a hat
  24. pitcher — a jug

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