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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. suit — to fit
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. capital — a city
  6. face — part of the head
  7. suit — clothes
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. suit — in cards
  10. prune — to trim
  11. mug — to rob
  12. track — to keep track
  13. cell — in biology
  14. face — to confront
  15. cell — a phone
  16. track — a path
  17. face — to point toward
  18. capital — money
  19. mug — a cup
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. track — a song
  22. mug — a face
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. prune — to trim

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