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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: ruler · bay · chest · kick · track · lean · suit · wake

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. chest — of your body
  4. suit — clothes
  5. track — a song
  6. lean — thin
  7. suit — in cards
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. wake — a trail
  10. track — to keep track
  11. chest — of your body
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. chest — a box
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. kick — in football
  23. lean — to bend
  24. track — a path

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