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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. fine — high quality
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — to recline
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. drill — army training
  8. drill — a practice
  9. bass — the fish
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. land — ground
  12. land — a country
  13. object — to protest
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bass — low music
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. drill — the tool
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. fine — all right
  22. land — to come down
  23. object — a thing
  24. ruler — a monarch

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