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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. sharp — clever
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. stand — to bear
  6. dip — to sink
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. bat — the animal
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. squash — the sport
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mark — a grade
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. squash — to crush
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. dip — to dunk

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