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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. roll — a list
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. face — to confront
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. face — to point toward
  8. drill — army training
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. fine — all right
  11. fine — high quality
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. face — part of the head
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. roll — a cake
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. drill — the tool
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. drill — a practice
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bat — the animal
  24. roll — on a roll

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