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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. march — music
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. land — ground
  5. land — to come down
  6. chest — of your body
  7. track — a path
  8. track — a song
  9. march — the month
  10. chest — of your body
  11. chest — a box
  12. march — the month
  13. mark — a grade
  14. mark — a trace
  15. pass — a permit
  16. prune — to trim
  17. land — a country
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. prune — to trim
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. track — to keep track
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. prune — the fruit

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