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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 ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. game — wild animals
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — a break
  10. press — newspapers
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. wound — an injury
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. wound — an injury
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. press — a publisher
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. game — a match
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. press — to push
  23. rest — what's left
  24. fan — to cool the air

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