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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: ruler · lean · bay · last · fan · leaves · track · row

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. track — a song
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. last — finally
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. track — to keep track
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. row — to paddle
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. last — to go on
  15. lean — to bend
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. row — a line
  20. last — final
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. track — a path
  24. row — a quarrel

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