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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. lean — to bend
  3. lean — thin
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bat — the animal
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. charge — in control
  9. dip — to sink
  10. deal — to handle
  11. charge — electricity
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. charge — a price
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. board — a committee
  19. board — to get on
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. board — a flat piece

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