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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. pit — a hole
  6. last — finally
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. pit — in a race
  10. rock — a stone
  11. land — ground
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. last — to go on
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. last — final
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. land — a country
  23. rock — music
  24. temple — a place of worship

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