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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. board — to get on
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. cap — a lid
  5. land — a country
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. cap — a hat
  8. bass — the fish
  9. bass — low music
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. land — to come down
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. land — ground
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. board — a committee
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. hide — to keep secret

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