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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. tear — to rip
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. snap — to click
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. land — ground
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. land — a country
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. fork — in a road
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. suit — in cards
  17. suit — to fit
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. land — to come down
  21. suit — clothes
  22. tear — from crying
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. tear — from crying

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