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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: snap · firm · sharp · face · ruler · mine · lean · fan

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. mine — for digging
  4. firm — a company
  5. face — to point toward
  6. sharp — clever
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. snap — to click
  14. lean — thin
  15. face — part of the head
  16. firm — decided
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. firm — steady
  23. lean — to bend
  24. fan — a supporter

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