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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. lean — to bend
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. lean — thin
  5. fine — high quality
  6. face — part of the head
  7. board — a committee
  8. mate — a friend
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. content — the amount
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. content — happy
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. face — to point toward
  15. fine — all right
  16. mate — a partner
  17. board — to get on
  18. mate — to breed
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. face — to confront
  21. wake — a trail
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. ruler — a monarch

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