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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 water is too ________________.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — not warm
  2. cold — an illness
  3. key — for a lock
  4. present — there
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. present — a gift
  10. bulb — for light
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. suit — to fit
  13. stand — to bear
  14. bulb — for light
  15. present — the time now
  16. rash — hasty
  17. rash — a series
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. key — the most important part
  21. key — in music
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — in cards

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