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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: stick · land · pit · hand · hide · bay · fan · ruler

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. land — a country
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. land — ground
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. pit — in a race
  12. hand — in cards
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. hand — help
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. land — to come down
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. pit — a hole
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. fan — a supporter

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