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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. suit — clothes
  4. stand — to bear
  5. land — ground
  6. land — a country
  7. land — to come down
  8. track — to keep track
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. suit — to fit
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. roll — a list
  14. suit — in cards
  15. capital — a city
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. roll — a cake
  18. capital — money
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. track — a song
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. track — a path

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