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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. wound — an injury
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. ball — a dance
  7. lean — thin
  8. track — a path
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. fall — to drop
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. track — a song
  15. lean — to bend
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. ball — a great time
  19. wound — an injury
  20. track — to keep track
  21. fall — the season
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. fall — to drop
  24. ruler — for measuring

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