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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. mark — a trace
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. lean — to bend
  5. capital — a city
  6. mark — a grade
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. lean — thin
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. capital — money
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. rush — hurry
  19. dip — to sink
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. jam — a tight spot

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