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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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. land — a country
  5. court — for sport
  6. prune — to trim
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. bear — the animal
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. prune — to trim
  12. court — of a king
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. swing — music
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. mark — a trace
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. swing — to play on
  19. mark — a grade
  20. court — of law
  21. bear — the animal
  22. land — to come down
  23. swing — in golf
  24. bowl — a dish

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