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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. kick — in football
  4. wound — an injury
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. rash — hasty
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. capital — a city
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. wound — an injury
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. capital — money
  21. rash — a series
  22. cold — not warm
  23. cold — an illness
  24. lie — to recline

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