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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. swing — music
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. land — ground
  6. swing — to play on
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. bear — the animal
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. land — a country
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. mine — for digging
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. fall — to drop
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. land — to come down
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. race — the arms race
  20. swing — in golf
  21. race — humankind
  22. fall — to drop
  23. race — a contest
  24. bear — the animal

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