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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. row — to paddle
  6. charge — electricity
  7. face — to confront
  8. row — a line
  9. file — a document
  10. mark — a grade
  11. file — a line of people
  12. charge — a price
  13. charge — in control
  14. file — a tool
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. stock — goods
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. mark — a trace
  22. face — part of the head
  23. stock — shares
  24. ruler — for measuring

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