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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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. wind — moving air
  6. wind — moving air
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. vault — a safe
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. bass — low music
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. lean — thin
  23. lean — to bend
  24. lean — to rest against

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