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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. shower — to wash
  5. stem — to come from
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. shower — rain
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. hand — in cards
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. hand — help
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. swing — in golf
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. swing — music
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. swing — to play on

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