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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 was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. rule — a law
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. lean — to bend
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. hand — in cards
  16. lean — thin
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. rule — government
  19. bear — the animal
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. mine — for digging
  24. hand — help

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