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

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. land — a country
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bear — the animal
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. pound — a weight
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. land — ground
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. bear — the animal
  16. land — to come down
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. fan — to cool the air

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