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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. lean — thin
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. lean — to bend
  6. firm — a company
  7. firm — decided
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. pound — a weight
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. capital — a city
  13. sharp — clever
  14. firm — steady
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. stem — to come from
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mark — a grade
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. capital — money
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. stem — a stem cell

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