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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 had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. face — to confront
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. current — of water
  5. land — a country
  6. current — electric
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. land — to come down
  10. face — to point toward
  11. squash — the sport
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. face — part of the head
  15. track — a song
  16. land — ground
  17. track — a path
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. current — happening now
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. squash — to crush
  23. cold — not warm
  24. track — to keep track

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