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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 116 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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. spell — magic
  4. drill — the tool
  5. spell — a short time
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. drill — army training
  10. fine — all right
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. fine — high quality
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. drill — a practice
  15. fork — in a road
  16. spell — letters
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. lie — to recline
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. craft — a skill
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. craft — boats

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