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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. prune — to trim
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. face — part of the head
  10. file — a tool
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. kid — to tease
  13. kid — child
  14. file — a document
  15. prune — to trim
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. face — to confront
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. face — to point toward
  23. file — a line of people
  24. fan — to cool the 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