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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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. game — a match
  5. fall — to drop
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. fall — to drop
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. stock — goods
  13. suit — to fit
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. fall — the season
  16. stock — shares
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. suit — in cards
  20. cold — not warm
  21. suit — clothes
  22. cold — an illness
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. fan — a supporter

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