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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. face — to point toward
  3. row — to paddle
  4. row — a line
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. charge — electricity
  8. wind — moving air
  9. pop — music
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. pop — soda
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. face — to confront
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. charge — a price
  19. pop — to visit
  20. face — part of the head
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. charge — in control
  24. calf — a young animal

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