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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: snap · field · jam · sharp · rest · date · lie · ruler

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. date — the fruit
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. field — farmland
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. rest — what's left
  7. field — a subject
  8. snap — to click
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. rest — a break
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. field — for sport
  19. rest — what's left
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. lie — to recline
  22. sharp — clever
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. ruler — a monarch

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