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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. field — farmland
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. craft — a skill
  8. last — to go on
  9. face — to point toward
  10. last — final
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. last — finally
  13. field — a subject
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. face — to confront
  17. face — part of the head
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. craft — boats
  20. sharp — clever
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. field — for sport

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