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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 116 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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. land — a country
  5. prune — to trim
  6. track — a song
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. land — to come down
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. track — to keep track
  11. vault — a safe
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. land — ground
  14. track — a path
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. mark — a grade
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. bank — of a river
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bank — for money
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. bank — for money
  24. mark — to pay attention

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