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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. march — the month
  6. spell — magic
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. spell — a short time
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mark — a trace
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. march — the month
  15. spell — letters
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. season — in sport
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. season — of the year
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. march — music
  22. snap — to click
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. straw — a straw man

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