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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: fall · snap · season · lie · file · bay · wave · ruler

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. fall — to drop
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. season — of the year
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. season — in sport
  12. snap — to click
  13. file — a line of people
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. file — a tool
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — to recline
  18. file — a document
  19. fall — the season
  20. fall — to drop
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. wave — with your hand

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