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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 116 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 coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. suit — to fit
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. swing — to play on
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. lie — to recline
  10. suit — clothes
  11. scale — size or range
  12. bat — the animal
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. suit — in cards
  15. swing — music
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. scale — in music
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. hide — animal skin

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