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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. firm — steady
  4. suit — in cards
  5. current — of water
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. suit — to fit
  8. current — electric
  9. hand — help
  10. root — of a plant
  11. current — happening now
  12. hand — in cards
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. root — of a word
  15. root — the cause
  16. spring — of water
  17. firm — decided
  18. firm — a company
  19. lie — to recline
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. spring — the season
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. suit — clothes
  24. ruler — a monarch

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