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

Word bank: bay · ruler · kick · fork · racket · lean

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  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. racket — a loud noise
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. kick — in football
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. fork — in a road
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. lean — thin
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. lean — to bend
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  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