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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 116 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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. drill — army training
  3. mate — a friend
  4. face — to point toward
  5. last — final
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. drill — a practice
  8. drill — the tool
  9. face — to confront
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. mate — to breed
  13. squash — to crush
  14. mate — a partner
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. squash — the sport
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. wound — an injury
  19. last — to go on
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. face — part of the head
  22. last — finally
  23. wound — an injury
  24. calf — a young animal

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