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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. lean — to bend
  4. saw — the tool
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bore — to tire
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. court — of law
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. rule — government
  14. saw — the tool
  15. rule — a law
  16. court — for sport
  17. court — of a king
  18. bore — to drill

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