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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. mate — to breed
  4. spring — the season
  5. mine — for digging
  6. spring — of water
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. mate — a friend
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. ball — a great time
  13. mate — a partner
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. suit — clothes
  18. spring — a coil
  19. ball — a dance
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. suit — in cards
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. suit — to fit
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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