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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 ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. stand — to bear
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. fall — to drop
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. mark — a grade
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. fall — the season
  12. mark — a trace
  13. fall — to drop
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. cap — of ice
  16. bat — the animal
  17. lean — to bend
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. cap — a hat
  20. cap — a lid
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. lean — thin
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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