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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 120 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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — for money
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. land — a country
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. face — to confront
  13. face — part of the head
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. face — to point toward
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. land — ground
  19. snap — to click
  20. bank — of a river
  21. land — to come down
  22. ground — the earth
  23. ground — crushed
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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