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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bat — the animal
  3. prune — to trim
  4. mug — to rob
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rest — what's left
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. board — a committee
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. mug — a face
  12. face — part of the head
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. face — to confront
  16. prune — to trim
  17. kick — in football
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. mug — a cup
  20. rest — a break
  21. face — to point toward
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. board — to get on
  24. kick — with a leg

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