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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: capital · bowl · face · sharp · mark · rock · ruler · kid

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. capital — a city
  6. sharp — clever
  7. face — to point toward
  8. capital — money
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. kid — to tease
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. rock — music
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. face — to confront
  17. mark — a trace
  18. face — part of the head
  19. kid — child
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. rock — a stone
  22. mark — a grade
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. sharp — with an edge

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