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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 116 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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. land — ground
  6. land — a country
  7. club — for dancing
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. land — to come down
  11. club — for golf
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. stand — to bear
  14. rash — hasty
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. rash — a series
  18. stand — for spectators

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