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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. present — a gift
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. band — a ring
  6. present — the time now
  7. band — a music group
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. face — part of the head
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. face — to confront
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rush — hurry
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. sharp — clever
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. wake — a trail
  21. present — there
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. face — to point toward
  24. band — a rubber band

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