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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. rule — government
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. ball — a dance
  8. sharp — clever
  9. rule — a law
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. ball — a great time
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. mark — a grade
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. fork — in a road
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. lean — thin
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. lean — to bend

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