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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. cold — not warm
  5. bass — the fish
  6. fall — to drop
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. cue — a hint
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. pitch — completely
  16. cue — a signal
  17. fall — the season
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. cue — for pool
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. cold — an illness
  23. bass — low music
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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