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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. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. lean — thin
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. suit — to fit
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. drill — a practice
  11. cold — not warm
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. lean — to bend
  15. drill — army training
  16. drill — the tool
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. roll — a cake
  21. roll — a list
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — clothes
  24. ruler — a monarch

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