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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. pop — to visit
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. lie — to recline
  5. rule — a law
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. hand — help
  8. last — final
  9. can — a tin
  10. rule — government
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. can — a tin
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. foot — a measure
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. can — to be able to
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. hand — in cards
  21. last — finally
  22. pop — music
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. last — to go on

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