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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. chest — a box
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. chest — of your body
  5. rash — a series
  6. rash — hasty
  7. can — a tin
  8. fall — to drop
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. can — a tin
  11. cue — a hint
  12. fall — to drop
  13. mate — a friend
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. mate — a partner
  17. cue — a signal
  18. lean — to bend
  19. can — to be able to
  20. chest — of your body
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. cue — for pool
  23. fall — the season
  24. lean — thin

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