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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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. wind — moving air
  5. rock — a stone
  6. lie — to recline
  7. rock — music
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. race — a contest
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. dip — to sink
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. race — humankind
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. race — the arms race
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. wind — to turn a key

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