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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. rash — a series
  3. mug — a cup
  4. rash — hasty
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. net — for catching
  8. capital — a city
  9. net — after costs
  10. lean — to bend
  11. present — there
  12. capital — money
  13. tear — to rip
  14. present — a gift
  15. tear — from crying
  16. tear — from crying
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. mug — a face
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. present — the time now
  21. lean — thin
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. mug — to rob
  24. net — in sport

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