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

Word bank: rule · fall · coach · foot · object · perch · row · bay

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  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. rule — government
  2. rule — a law
  3. foot — a measure
  4. fall — to drop
  5. row — to paddle
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. fall — the season
  11. object — an aim
  12. row — a line
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. object — a thing
  18. fall — to drop
  19. object — to protest
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. perch — the fish
  23. perch — for a bird
  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