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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. spell — magic
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. suit — in cards
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. fall — to drop
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. suit — to fit
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. hand — help
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. fall — the season
  18. perch — the fish
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. spell — letters
  21. suit — clothes
  22. spell — a short time
  23. hand — in cards
  24. bat — the animal

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