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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. scale — size or range
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. sharp — clever
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. lean — to bend
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — in cards
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. saw — the tool
  13. kid — child
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. suit — to fit
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. scale — in music
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. saw — the tool
  22. lean — thin
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. kid — to tease

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