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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 116 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 can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. spring — the season
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. chip — for betting
  10. spring — of water
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. wind — moving air
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. spring — a coil
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. chip — to eat
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. face — part of the head
  21. face — to confront
  22. pass — a permit
  23. face — to point toward
  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