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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. suit — clothes
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. wind — moving air
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. rock — music
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. wind — moving air
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. hand — help
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. suit — in cards
  16. hand — in cards
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. wake — a trail
  23. rock — a stone
  24. suit — to fit

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