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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 seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. spring — of water
  4. fall — to drop
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. spring — the season
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. fall — to drop
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. hand — in cards
  14. hand — help
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. spring — a coil
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. stand — to bear
  21. rash — hasty
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. rash — a series
  24. fall — the season

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