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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. craft — boats
  5. lean — thin
  6. wind — moving air
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. wind — moving air
  11. craft — a skill
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. lean — to bend
  18. squash — the sport
  19. squash — to crush
  20. kick — in football
  21. fork — in a road
  22. rush — hurry
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. rush — a thrill

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