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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. last — finally
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. staff — employees
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. last — to go on
  11. staff — employees
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. staff — a stick
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. press — a publisher
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. press — newspapers
  19. kick — in football
  20. spring — of water
  21. last — final
  22. press — to push
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. spring — the season

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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