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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. land — ground
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. game — a match
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. face — part of the head
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. saw — the tool
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. face — to point toward
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. land — a country
  19. land — to come down
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. game — wild animals
  24. face — to confront

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