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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. key — in music
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. kick — in football
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. cell — a phone
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. key — the most important part
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. key — for a lock
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. wake — a trail
  24. cell — in biology

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