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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. rest — a break
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. present — a gift
  5. wound — an injury
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. row — a line
  10. rock — a stone
  11. present — there
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. rock — music
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. present — the time now
  16. rest — what's left
  17. scale — in music
  18. row — to paddle
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. scale — size or range
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. wound — an injury

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