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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. march — the month
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. fall — to drop
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. march — the month
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. march — music
  15. ball — a dance
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. hand — in cards
  18. hand — help
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. ball — a great time
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. fall — the season
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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