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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 120 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. suit — in cards
  3. wound — an injury
  4. season — of the year
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. wound — an injury
  9. suit — clothes
  10. rush — hurry
  11. fall — the season
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — employees
  17. fall — to drop
  18. staff — a stick
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. suit — to fit
  23. season — in sport
  24. ruler — for measuring

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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