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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 120 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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. season — in sport
  5. face — to point toward
  6. ground — the earth
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. face — to confront
  9. season — of the year
  10. degree — an amount
  11. ground — a position
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. bound — tied together
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. degree — temperature
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. bound — obliged
  21. face — part of the head
  22. ground — crushed
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. degree — from a university

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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