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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. staff — employees
  3. ground — the earth
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. face — to confront
  7. saw — the tool
  8. staff — employees
  9. march — the month
  10. ground — crushed
  11. staff — a stick
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. track — a path
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. track — a song
  17. face — to point toward
  18. ground — a position
  19. face — part of the head
  20. track — to keep track
  21. march — music
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. march — the month
  24. ruler — a monarch

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