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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 124 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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. rest — what's left
  3. mug — a cup
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. lean — thin
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. chair — a leader
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. spell — a short time
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. rest — a break
  13. spell — magic
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. dip — to sink
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. spell — letters
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. rest — what's left
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. lean — to bend
  24. mug — to rob

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