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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. face — to confront
  3. fall — to drop
  4. firm — a company
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. chest — a box
  7. firm — decided
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fall — to drop
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. fall — the season
  15. face — to point toward
  16. chest — of your body
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. firm — steady
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. chest — of your body
  22. face — part of the head
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. rush — hurry

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