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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. roll — a cake
  4. wound — an injury
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. roll — a list
  7. suit — in cards
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. spell — a short time
  10. suit — to fit
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. bulb — for light
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. bulb — for light
  16. suit — clothes
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. spell — magic
  22. spell — letters
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bulb — of a plant

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