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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. craft — a skill
  3. roll — a cake
  4. mug — a face
  5. fine — all right
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. fine — high quality
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. roll — a list
  10. craft — boats
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. wound — an injury
  13. mug — to rob
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. mug — a cup
  16. mate — a partner
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. mate — a friend
  19. mate — to breed
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. wound — an injury
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. ruler — for measuring

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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