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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 120 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 always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. spring — a coil
  3. net — for catching
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. dip — to sink
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. net — after costs
  15. ball — a dance
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. spring — of water
  18. ball — a great time
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. net — in sport
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. spring — the season
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. leaves — of a tree

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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