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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. capital — a city
  4. suit — to fit
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bank — for money
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. spring — of water
  11. suit — in cards
  12. bank — for money
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. capital — money
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. spring — the season
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. suit — clothes
  19. bank — of a river
  20. kick — in football
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. spring — a coil

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