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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 124 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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. face — to confront
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. cap — of ice
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. face — part of the head
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. stock — shares
  14. craft — boats
  15. toast — bread
  16. face — to point toward
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. stock — goods
  20. cap — a lid
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. sharp — clever
  23. craft — a skill
  24. cap — a hat

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