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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. pit — in a race
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. fall — to drop
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. suit — in cards
  8. suit — to fit
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. bound — tied together
  11. season — of the year
  12. fall — the season
  13. suit — clothes
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. pit — a hole
  16. chest — of your body
  17. bound — certain
  18. bound — obliged
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. season — in sport
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. fall — to drop
  23. chest — of your body
  24. chest — a box

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