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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. squash — the sport
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. present — the time now
  6. bear — the animal
  7. wax — to grow
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. bear — the animal
  10. present — a gift
  11. present — there
  12. pit — in a race
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. pit — a hole
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. squash — to crush
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. ruler — for measuring

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