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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. rule — government
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. ground — crushed
  10. craft — boats
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. deal — to handle
  13. mate — a partner
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. mate — a friend
  16. rule — a law
  17. ground — the earth
  18. mate — to breed
  19. craft — a skill
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. ground — a position
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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