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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.

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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bear — the animal
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. field — a subject
  13. wind — moving air
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. field — for sport
  16. field — farmland
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. wind — moving air
  19. row — a line
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bear — the animal
  22. lie — to recline
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. row — to paddle

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