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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. suit — in cards
  3. rash — hasty
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. wound — an injury
  6. lean — thin
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. key — for a lock
  10. lean — to bend
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. suit — to fit
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. key — in music
  15. wound — an injury
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. pitch — completely
  19. key — the most important part
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. saw — the tool
  22. rash — a series
  23. suit — clothes
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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