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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 116 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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. face — to point toward
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. race — humankind
  6. rest — what's left
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. firm — steady
  10. race — the arms race
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. face — to confront
  13. firm — a company
  14. rest — what's left
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. firm — decided
  17. race — a contest
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. rest — a break
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. face — part of the head

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