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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. row — a line
  3. dip — to sink
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. firm — steady
  6. degree — from a university
  7. row — to paddle
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. firm — a company
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. degree — an amount
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. rush — hurry
  18. degree — temperature
  19. firm — decided
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. dip — a sauce

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