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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. wind — moving air
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. rest — a break
  6. tear — from crying
  7. craft — boats
  8. tear — from crying
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. perch — the fish
  11. wind — moving air
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. rest — what's left
  14. mug — a face
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. mug — to rob
  17. plane — a tool
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. craft — a skill
  20. rest — what's left
  21. mug — a cup
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. tear — to rip
  24. plane — in geometry

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