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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. suit — clothes
  5. cell — in biology
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. band — a ring
  9. suit — in cards
  10. capital — a city
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. suit — to fit
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. chest — of your body
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. band — a music group
  19. capital — money
  20. chest — a box
  21. chest — of your body
  22. cell — a phone
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. ruler — for measuring

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