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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. saw — the tool
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. stem — to come from
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. wake — a trail
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. face — to confront
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. face — part of the head
  19. saw — the tool
  20. rest — what's left
  21. face — to point toward
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. rest — a break
  24. sharp — clever

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