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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. firm — a company
  4. firm — decided
  5. bear — the animal
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. firm — steady
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. bear — the animal
  10. mug — a face
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. mug — to rob
  13. file — a tool
  14. file — a document
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. season — of the year
  21. mug — a cup
  22. season — in sport
  23. lie — to recline
  24. file — a line of people

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