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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. face — part of the head
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. face — to confront
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. spring — of water
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. sharp — clever
  13. board — a committee
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. face — to point toward
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. spring — a coil
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. board — to get on
  23. mine — for digging
  24. straw — a straw man

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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