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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. board — to get on
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. wind — moving air
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. date — the fruit
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. board — a committee
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. wind — moving air
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. wake — a trail
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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