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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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. face — to confront
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. wind — moving air
  6. mine — for digging
  7. bass — low music
  8. pop — soda
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. rash — hasty
  11. face — to point toward
  12. toast — bread
  13. pop — music
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. pop — to visit
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. bass — the fish
  21. face — part of the head
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. wind — moving air

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