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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. present — the time now
  6. last — finally
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. last — to go on
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. last — final
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. dip — to sink
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. present — a gift
  16. rest — a break
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. bark — to shout
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. present — there
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rest — what's left

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