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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 120 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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. spell — letters
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. game — a match
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. fine — all right
  9. kick — in football
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. face — part of the head
  13. mark — a grade
  14. face — to point toward
  15. spell — a short time
  16. game — wild animals
  17. mark — a trace
  18. fine — high quality
  19. spell — magic
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. face — to confront

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