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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. rest — what's left
  5. spring — a coil
  6. rest — a break
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. pop — soda
  11. spring — the season
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. pop — music
  19. spring — of water
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. snap — to click
  24. rest — what's left

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