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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. board — to get on
  3. mate — to breed
  4. face — to point toward
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. scale — size or range
  7. mate — a partner
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. mate — a friend
  11. ground — crushed
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. rock — music
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. ground — the earth
  16. board — a committee
  17. scale — in music
  18. face — to confront
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. rock — a stone
  22. face — part of the head
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ground — a position

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