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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. fall — the season
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. rest — what's left
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — to recline
  12. rule — a law
  13. rule — government
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. rest — a break
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. fall — to drop
  20. fall — to drop
  21. spring — the season
  22. spring — a coil
  23. lean — to bend
  24. spring — of water

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