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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 116 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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. mark — a grade
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. can — to be able to
  8. can — a tin
  9. fork — in a road
  10. tear — from crying
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. game — wild animals
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. lean — thin
  15. tear — to rip
  16. game — a match
  17. mark — a trace
  18. can — a tin
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. tear — from crying
  23. lean — to bend
  24. hide — to keep secret

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