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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 120 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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. spring — a coil
  3. track — to keep track
  4. track — a song
  5. land — to come down
  6. spring — of water
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. suit — to fit
  9. rock — a stone
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. pass — a permit
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. land — a country
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. rock — music
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. land — ground
  19. suit — clothes
  20. track — a path
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. suit — in cards
  23. spring — the season
  24. bat — the animal

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