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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. pit — a hole
  6. wound — an injury
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. land — a country
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. track — to keep track
  13. pound — a weight
  14. land — ground
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. land — to come down
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. track — a path
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. track — a song
  23. wound — an injury
  24. lash — an eyelash

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