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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bank — for money
  3. cell — in biology
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bank — for money
  6. mate — a partner
  7. last — to go on
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. cell — a phone
  11. last — finally
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. mate — to breed
  17. cold — not warm
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. mate — a friend
  21. last — final
  22. cold — an illness
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. cell — in a prison

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