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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. mug — a cup
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. mate — a friend
  8. mate — to breed
  9. mug — to rob
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. wake — a trail
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. mug — a face
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bat — the animal
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. mate — a partner
  24. fan — a supporter

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