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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. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. suit — clothes
  4. lean — to bend
  5. suit — to fit
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. stock — shares
  9. cold — not warm
  10. stock — goods
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. current — happening now
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. current — of water
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. lean — thin
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. suit — in cards
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. current — electric
  24. ruler — for measuring

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