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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fall · bay · squash · ruler · kick · patient

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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. kick — a thrill
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. fall — to drop
  5. squash — the sport
  6. squash — to crush
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. kick — in football
  16. fall — the season
  17. fall — to drop
  18. bay — to keep at bay

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