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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. clip — for paper
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. current — of water
  5. clip — a video
  6. current — electric
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. face — to point toward
  9. rash — hasty
  10. plane — a tool
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. current — happening now
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. firm — a company
  15. face — to confront
  16. firm — steady
  17. face — part of the head
  18. rash — a series
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. clip — to cut
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. firm — decided
  24. bay — a horse colour

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