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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. key — for a lock
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. press — to push
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. chair — a leader
  10. key — in music
  11. row — a line
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. row — to paddle
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. press — a publisher
  19. press — newspapers
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. key — the most important part
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. wake — a trail

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