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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. fall — to drop
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bank — for money
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. fall — the season
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bear — the animal
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. bear — the animal
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. snap — to click
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. bank — for money

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