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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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. roll — a cake
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. land — ground
  6. land — a country
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. bound — obliged
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. land — to come down
  13. mate — a friend
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. vault — a safe
  16. bound — certain
  17. mate — to breed
  18. bound — tied together
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. mate — a partner
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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