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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. lie — to recline
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. cap — a lid
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. face — to confront
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. wind — moving air
  14. face — to point toward
  15. cap — a hat
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. wind — moving air
  19. date — the fruit
  20. face — part of the head
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. cap — of ice
  24. nail — for a hammer

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