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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 120 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 as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. suit — in cards
  3. land — a country
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. suit — clothes
  6. spell — letters
  7. lean — to bend
  8. spell — a short time
  9. suit — to fit
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. land — ground
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. land — to come down
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. foot — a measure
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. spell — magic
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. foot — the bottom

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