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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 116 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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. cap — a hat
  7. wound — an injury
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. cell — in biology
  10. saw — the tool
  11. rock — music
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. cell — a phone
  14. cap — of ice
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. cap — a lid
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. wound — an injury
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. rock — a stone
  24. rash — hasty

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