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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. present — the time now
  3. firm — decided
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. face — to point toward
  6. present — there
  7. capital — money
  8. rule — a law
  9. dip — to sink
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. row — to paddle
  13. firm — a company
  14. face — to confront
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. face — part of the head
  18. firm — steady
  19. row — a line
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. present — a gift
  22. capital — a city
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. rule — government

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