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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 116 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: race · mug · face · ruler · cue · leaves · spring · sharp

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. face — to confront
  4. face — to point toward
  5. race — the arms race
  6. cue — for pool
  7. race — humankind
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. cue — a signal
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. mug — to rob
  12. spring — a coil
  13. face — part of the head
  14. mug — a face
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. mug — a cup
  17. race — a contest
  18. spring — of water
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. spring — the season
  22. sharp — clever
  23. cue — a hint
  24. sharp — exactly

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