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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. mug — to rob
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. branch — a division
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. rush — hurry
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — a break
  10. field — farmland
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. mug — a face
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. rest — what's left
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. field — for sport
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. mug — a cup
  24. field — a subject

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