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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. wound — an injury
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. drill — the tool
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bank — of a river
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. drill — a practice
  10. bound — tied together
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. bound — certain
  14. bound — obliged
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. bank — for money
  17. face — to point toward
  18. face — part of the head
  19. face — to confront
  20. drill — army training
  21. bank — for money
  22. wound — an injury
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. straw — dry grass

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