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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bat — the animal
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bank — of a river
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. bank — for money
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. cue — a signal
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. cue — for pool
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. wind — moving air
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bank — for money
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. cue — a hint

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