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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. spring — of water
  3. scale — size or range
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. pound — a weight
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. lean — to bend
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. spring — a coil
  18. lean — thin
  19. rush — hurry
  20. spring — the season
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. scale — in music

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