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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. lie — to recline
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. season — in sport
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. pit — a hole
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. season — of the year
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. kick — in football
  23. snap — to click
  24. pit — in a race

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