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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: object · ruler · wind · fall · pit · bay · content · scale

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. scale — in music
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. object — a thing
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. object — an aim
  7. fall — to drop
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fall — the season
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. content — the amount
  15. content — happy
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. scale — size or range
  19. object — to protest
  20. pit — a hole
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. wind — moving air
  23. pit — in a race
  24. content — videos and posts

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