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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. face — part of the head
  3. cell — a phone
  4. mug — to rob
  5. face — to confront
  6. cell — in biology
  7. degree — an amount
  8. mug — a face
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. object — an aim
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. rest — a break
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. rest — what's left
  15. degree — temperature
  16. object — a thing
  17. degree — from a university
  18. perch — the fish
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. mug — a cup
  21. face — to point toward
  22. rest — what's left
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. object — to protest

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