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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. tear — to rip
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. tear — from crying
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. bat — the animal
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. vault — a safe
  15. track — a path
  16. tear — from crying
  17. land — to come down
  18. land — ground
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. track — a song
  24. track — to keep track

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