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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.

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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: face · ruler · wave · last · pit · tear · tube · mark

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. tear — from crying
  5. mark — a grade
  6. tear — from crying
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. last — to go on
  9. pit — a hole
  10. tube — the underground
  11. tear — to rip
  12. face — part of the head
  13. last — final
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. face — to point toward
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. tube — a container
  21. pit — in a race
  22. mark — a trace
  23. face — to confront
  24. last — finally

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