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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 is an ace ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. rest — a break
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. rest — what's left
  5. firm — steady
  6. firm — decided
  7. fall — to drop
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. fall — to drop
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. rule — government
  17. rest — what's left
  18. prune — to trim
  19. rule — a law
  20. lie — to recline
  21. fall — the season
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. prune — to trim
  24. firm — a company

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