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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. lean — thin
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. land — to come down
  5. land — a country
  6. firm — decided
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. land — ground
  10. lean — to bend
  11. firm — steady
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — to recline
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. firm — a company
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. saw — the tool
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. saw — the tool

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