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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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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 who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. court — for sport
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. land — a country
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. court — of law
  11. land — to come down
  12. bark — to shout
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. fall — the season
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. court — of a king
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. land — ground
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. fall — to drop
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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