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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. cue — for pool
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. cap — of ice
  8. last — to go on
  9. land — ground
  10. cue — a hint
  11. last — final
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. firm — steady
  14. land — a country
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. cap — a lid
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. last — finally
  21. firm — decided
  22. firm — a company
  23. cap — a hat
  24. cue — a signal

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