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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. hand — in cards
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. season — in sport
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bound — certain
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. hand — help
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. race — humankind
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. bound — obliged
  15. rest — a break
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. bound — tied together
  18. rest — what's left
  19. race — a contest
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. race — the arms race
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. rest — what's left

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