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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. suit — to fit
  3. lean — to bend
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. suit — clothes
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. mark — a trace
  10. shower — to wash
  11. shower — rain
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. lie — to recline
  14. chip — to eat
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. lean — thin
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. suit — in cards
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. wound — an injury
  22. wound — an injury
  23. chip — for betting
  24. mark — a grade

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