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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. row — to paddle
  3. net — in sport
  4. cue — for pool
  5. row — a line
  6. cue — a signal
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. net — after costs
  12. face — to point toward
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. face — to confront
  16. prune — to trim
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. prune — to trim
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. net — for catching
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. cue — a hint

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