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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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. rush — a thrill
  4. chest — a box
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. present — a gift
  7. face — to point toward
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. face — to confront
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. rush — hurry
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. chest — of your body
  17. wound — an injury
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. chest — of your body
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. wound — an injury
  22. present — the time now
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. present — there

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