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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. face — to point toward
  4. present — there
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. face — to confront
  9. face — part of the head
  10. spring — of water
  11. present — the time now
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. present — a gift
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. spring — a coil
  16. rock — a stone
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. rock — music
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. spring — the season
  23. snap — to click
  24. ruler — for measuring

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