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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. face — part of the head
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. cap — of ice
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. face — to point toward
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. cap — a hat
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. cap — a lid
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. face — to confront
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. sharp — clever
  23. wake — a trail
  24. wake — before a funeral

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