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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. cap — of ice
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. face — to point toward
  5. face — to confront
  6. bass — low music
  7. current — electric
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. face — part of the head
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. bass — the fish
  13. current — happening now
  14. bear — the animal
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. plane — a tool
  18. bear — the animal
  19. current — of water
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. hand — help
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. cap — a hat
  24. cap — a lid

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