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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 120 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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. mark — a grade
  4. root — of a word
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. band — a music group
  8. land — ground
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. land — to come down
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. land — a country
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. mark — a trace
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. root — the cause
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. root — of a plant
  23. band — a ring
  24. fan — a supporter

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