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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. mark — a trace
  4. rest — a break
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. wound — an injury
  11. rock — music
  12. rest — what's left
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bear — the animal
  15. lie — to recline
  16. rash — hasty
  17. mark — a grade
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. rest — what's left
  20. wound — an injury
  21. bear — the animal
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. rock — a stone
  24. rash — a series

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